Make It Count
by Ren Hyuga-Hyogo
Summary: AU Slice of Life. Ren is a teenage girl with a lot on her plate. She was living happily with her mother; playing soccer and creating a lot of bonds. Ren's world is flipped upside down and she finds herself living with her father and his family. TenTen, Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Konohamaru are now her siblings. With such a dysfunctional bunch how will she survive? Can she even cope?
1. A New Life

The hot Kaze no Kuni sun beat down outside Nagisa International Airport. Inside the air conditioned super-building two pairs of pale eyes scanned above the crowds looking for a sign that said 'The Beach House'. One dainty hand gripped the strap of a simple black backpack littered with graffiti in all colors that hung over one of the girl's narrow shoulders and the other held a dull purple duffle bag. Everyone within the airport was rushing from here to there and it felt so easy for the short sixteen-year-old girl to get lost in the horde. She walked on the tiptoes of her black combat boots hoping to see over the crowd; it was a fruitless effort and despite the coolness of the airport a small bead of sweat trickled down her nose.

A head of very long raven black hair was the only thing passersby would see if they gave her the time of day. She felt very self-conscious about her appearance compared to most of the people around her; their skin was sun-kissed where hers was ghostly pale, they dressed like it was already summer while she was still dressed for spring in Hi no Kuni, and almost everyone was a giant; what did they feed the people here: Miraclegrow? A soft sigh escaped her thin pink lips and she seriously considered giving up. She didn't want to be here anyways; this hadn't been her choice. Her stomach knotted so tightly that she felt a wave of nausea hit her as she remembered _why_ she was here.

 _She sat in the back row of her history class pretending she wasn't paying attention and didn't want to be there; the truth was that Naoma Hyuga, her mother, expected her to make something of herself someday and the teen was determined not to let her mother down. Yes the girl acted rebellious, hence why she was pretending not to care, but deep down she was still the good girl who lived solely for her mother; it had always been just the two of them._

 _A knock on the classroom door interrupted her teacher, Anko Mitarashi, midsentence. The wildly-beautiful young teacher's lips pursed and she sat down the piece of chalk she had been using to write on the board. "Copy down what I've wrote on the board so far and start planning how you will do your oral report on the First World War. I'll know if you guys start slacking off," she told them as her narrowed light-brown eyes made a sweep of the classroom._

 _The moment Ms. Mitarashi's spikey violet hair was out of sight and the door was closed a low rumble of voices filled the classroom. Right in front of the Hyuga teen sat a blond who always wore her hair in a ponytail and another girl with chin length pink hair. The blond, Ino Yamanaka, and the pinkette, Sakura Haruno, had only recently started getting along again so it was still something the Hyuga was adjusting to; they had been fighting for so long that seeing them together really messed with your senses._

 _The scratching of the girl's pencil on her paper wasn't even audible over the noise of the classroom's gossiping. "So I heard that Kiba's having a party on Saturday night. His family is going out of town," the pinkette stated with a smug smirk on her face. The Hyuga's brows furrowed as she tried her best to ignore their gossiping. Kiba Inuzuka was the Konoha High School's heartthrob and always threw wild parties when his mother and sister were away on business._

 _"_ _Yeah I heard that too," Ino exclaimed in a hushed voice; they were trying not to draw their frightening teacher's attention back to the room. "Hey, Shikamaru, are you going to go," the blond asked as she looked to the boy sitting beside the Hyuga._

 _Shikamaru's mouth was open and his dark eyes were closed. He was leaning his spikey brown ponytail against the wall behind him and the Hyuga was sure it would be flat when he sat up. Ino poked him with her pencil and his dark eyes opened but his eyelids were still droopy. He was staring at the blond and pinkette in front of him but it was like he was looking through them. "What do you want, Ino," he drawled out lowly. To the Hyuga's amusement his hair still looked like a pineapple._

 _"_ _Kiba's having a party on Saturday. Are you coming," Sakura asked with her jade green eyes locked on the Nara's and a warm smile on her face. Both girls in front of the Hyuga and Nara were beautiful; you would have to be blind not to see that. The problem lay within their attitudes. Both believed they were the best thing since sliced bread and that they could get any guy they wanted except one: Kiba Inuzuka._

 _Shikamaru glanced in the direction of the Hyuga. That was her cue to speak up. "He's got a date on Saturday," The Hyuga told them slowly in a bored tone. This was an unspoken agreement between them: sometimes guys would ask the Hyuga out and Shikamaru would get her out of saying 'no' to them. The Hyuga did the same thing for him when it came to social events with way too many people. The rumor had been that the two of them were dating long before he rescued her from an awkward rejection for poor Rock Lee._

 _"_ _You both could come," Ino exclaimed with a bright smile._

 _The Hyuga shrugged lazily and glanced at Shikamaru. His eyes glazed over slightly and she knew he was thinking; he was a genius really and not just with books. He'd get them both out of this and it'd be fine and dandy. The Hyuga grabbed his hand before flashing the duo in front of them a shy smile while she waited for his excuse. The Nara slipped his fingers between her thin digits and shook his head. "No can do. It's a big night for us," he told them with a smirk._

 _The Hyuga's face was flaming red with embarrassment as the other two girls' jaws dropped. She had_ _not_ _expected him to declare something like that! They had kissed maybe two times their whole friendship, yet here he was implying they were going to go all the way. Her mouth was opening and closing repeatedly and she knew she looked like a fish on 2 hooks (because she had snake-bite hoops in her bottom lip) trying to breathe in the open air while Shikamaru was staring at her smirking._

 _The Hyuga didn't have to say anything because the door opened and Ms. Mitarashi stepped back into the classroom. The woman's face was pale and she looked highly uncomfortable as her eyes skimmed the room. "Miss Hyuga," she called out gently. It was a weird occurrence because nothing about Anko Mitarashi was warm and fuzzy. The Hyuga immediately knew something was wrong, especially since nothing was said about the class clearly not following directions. "The dean needs to see you in her office now," she told her before going back to the chalkboard. Ms. Mitarashi's hand was shaky as she attempted to write on the board._

 _A knot formed in the pit of the Hyuga's stomach and she stood up but kept holding Shikamaru's hand for a moment longer. To the class around them it seemed like a girlfriend hating to leave her boyfriend because she got in trouble. The thing was that the girl hadn't done anything lately to warrant a trip to the dean so she was trying to pull strength from her best friend to ease the shaking in her knees. Their eyes met and she could see the worry in his dark orbs clear as crystal. She leaned down after she gathered her books and pressed her lips softly to his; holding his hand just hadn't done it for her in the strength department. She heard gasps and the chalk in Miss Mitarashi's hand snap; they had clearly been watching. Now they had kissed three times their entire friendship. "I'll call you later," she told him softly._

 _"_ _Troublesome woman," he muttered while trying to fight back a blush._

 _"_ _I love you too. See ya," she teased. Her face was crimson red when she finally stepped out of the classroom. It was always fun to embarrass Shikamaru like that but she never came out of it unscathed._

"Ren," a female called from behind her, successfully interrupting her memory. On instinct the Hyuga turned to see the person she was supposed to be meeting: her step-sister. The shop was full of beach wear that was supposed to make tourists feel like locals. There were flip-flops, swimsuit cover-ups, beach bags, towels, sunblock, sunglasses… you name it. The store was just as overwhelming for the shy girl as the rest of the airport.

She quickly cut through the crowd, even though it meant going against traffic, and into the shop. She was pushed and bumped but finally made it to stand in front of her step-sister; she was even more beautiful in person than in the photograph Ren had seen. "Hello, TenTen," Ren nearly whispered as she stared down at their feet. TenTen wore a pair of pink flip-flops and had her toenails painted a sea foam green; Ren's were covered by her ugly combat boots.

"Finally! I've been here for ages waiting for you," TenTen said with a chuckle.

Ren's eyes glanced up to the sun-kissed face of her step-sister and stared directly into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. "I'm so sorry," she told her meekly before her eyes darting back down.

"Hey don't worry about it. I was just giving you a hard time," TenTen told her as she patted the top of her head. They were awkwardly silent for a moment and Ren felt TenTen's eyes scrutinizing her. "Please tell me the rest of your clothes aren't like that," she muttered finally.

Ren's face was suddenly flaming hot. "Ah, well, yeah… kind of? It was still cool back home and I don't really have shorts," the shy girl replied softly while wringing her knuckles together. She took in her sister's clothing: TenTen was wearing a pink sleeveless shirt that hugged her nicely developed chest and was loose around her abdomen without making her look fat. A pair of light brown, mid-thigh length shorts rested perfectly on her hips. TenTen looked every bit like she lived on the beach; even her long brown hair was up in two buns to allow maximum sunshine to her skin and minimal salt water to her hair.

TenTen gently tugged at Ren's black, long-sleeve shirt with skull hands that looked like they were gripping her average breasts. "We need to get you a new wardrobe. Do you wear anything but black," she asked as she examined Ren's black, holey skinny jeans.

Ren bit one of the silver hoops in her bottom lip and shrugged. Her cheeks were so red with embarrassment, she was sure of that. "I haven't worn color in a long time," she responded without meeting TenTen's gaze.

"Mom and Dad are going to freak out when they see you. Are those lip rings," TenTen inquired. This conversation was feeling highly inappropriate yet they were having it in a cramped store in a crowded airport. Pale eyes darted up to look into brown ones. "Oh-Em-Gee! You have a nose ring too? Are you pierced anywhere else?"

Another sigh escaped Ren's thin lips and she nodded. This was beyond embarrassing at this point. "I'll show you later. Hideki can shove it for all I care. I've dressed this way for three years so I'm not gonna stop now," Ren told her flatly. It wasn't like Ren to shout so instead it came through as indifference.

"I really like you already. You are so my new best friend," TenTen said with a chuckle. "C'mon! We'll head home and you can meet everyone. Then we'll head off to the mall and get you some appropriate clothes. If you aren't too attached to your sleeves maybe we could cut those off and that'd be one thing from home you could wear here. It's brutally hot here and summer's still a month away."

"Alright," Ren muttered as TenTen took her duffle bag and lead the way out of the airport.


	2. Welcome Home

Hideki and Jia Hyogo were standing outside on the steps to the front door of their home. It was a simple white, five bedrooms, three bath house with an angled roof and large bay windows facing the beach. Hideki stood tall with his arm around his wife. His skin had gained some color in the fourteen years he had lived in Kaze no Kuni and his dark black hair was cut so short that it would be difficult to even pinch it between two fingers. He had sharp lines on his face from stress and age but he was quite handsome.

Jia, his wife, had shoulder length brown hair and chocolate eyes. Her skin was even darker than Hideki's and her figure was that of an hourglass. They both looked every bit of the business tycoons they were; both were dressed in white button down tops with black pants.

When TenTen's powder blue Volkswagen Beatle pulled up beside Jia's black Mercedes-Benz the couple walked over to the garage to meet their newest family member. Inside the car, Ren was ready to have a panic attack. This was it; she was meeting her father for the first time in her life. TenTen exited the car first and popped the trunk to collect Ren's bags. The Hyuga stayed in the passenger seat trying to get her breathing back to normal but her breaths were still short and quick. "What's she like," the woman, Jia (Ren assumed), asked TenTen in a hushed voice that Ren could still hear because the windows were cracked.

"She's so cool," TenTen replied with a big grin on her face. Hideki grabbed her bags from the trunk and TenTen slammed the lid down. "She's just nervous to meet you guys," TenTen explained when they looked to the car and the Hyuga was still inside.

"You can do this," Ren murmured to herself before taking a deep breath. She opened the car door and got out so slowly it was almost painful. Her back was towards them and she forced another gulp of air into her lungs. She spun and her eyes met Hideki's black ones. "Hello, Father," she said softly. The words came out so cold they nearly gave her tongue frostbite.

Their reaction upon seeing her made her cringe. Hideki's lips turned down into a frown and his brows furrowed down to further accent his displeasure. Jia's mouth fell open and her eyes widened as she stared at Ren in shock. The Hyuga's eyes darted downwards and she frowned; she had received a similar look only four days ago.

 _Ren entered the dean's office after the assistant told her to knock and go right in. A very busty woman with long blond hair that she kept in pigtails down her back sat behind the desk: Dean Tsunade Senju. Seated on the brown leather sofa to the left of the door were two of her 'uncles'; Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga. "Have a seat, Ren," Tsunade told her in a soft voice. Why was everyone suddenly being so nice? She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm the storm brewing inside her and sat across from the large oak desk. "Your uncles have some news for you that may not be easy to swallow," Tsunade told her._

 _Ren's eyebrows furrowed and she turned in her seat to face the two of them. Hiashi was the CEO of the Hyuga Corporation while Hizashi was in charge of Human Resources. "This is difficult to say," Hizashi began. His pale eyes were filled with sorrow and regret so she turned her attention to Hiashi; he was cold and would be honest without dancing around the subject._

 _"_ _Your mother was involved in an accident," Hiashi stated flatly. His features remained stoic and he looked like he felt that he was too good to be sitting in the dean's office of the local_ _public_ _high school. Her cousins Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji were all enrolled in a private school so Ren presumed that assumption wasn't too far from the truth._

 _"_ _What kind of accident? Is she okay," Ren asked quietly. Her heart was in her stomach and she could feel sweat beginning to form on her forehead. Her mother was hurt and she knew there was nothing she could do about it. They were fortunate enough to have one of the best hospitals in the world but that did little to comfort her._

 _"_ _She was on her way back to the office from lunch and her car was sandwiched between a truck and a tree. She's dead," Hiashi stated. There was no emotion in his voice, not that she expected any._

 _"_ _She's dead," Ren repeated through a breath. Her heart shattered and she slumped forward. Her fists clenched and she pressed them against her chest in an effort to make the pain stop. Her vision blurred as she stared at her shoes and she could feel the wetness of her tears streaming down her face. If Hyuga's joked around she may have asked if they were serious._

 _The looks on their faces told her they were gravely serious. Her mother was gone and there was nothing she could do. There would be no more arguments over her future. No more late night pizza and movie binges. No more soccer games where her mother was cheering for her from the stands. There just was no more Mother. Suddenly Ren didn't know what to do. "What's going to happen," she asked weakly._

 _"_ _We've gotten in touch with your father," Hizashi told her as he placed his hand on her shoulder. When had he even moved to stand next to her? "He's living in Kaze no Kuni and has agreed that it would be best for you to move there with him."_

 _"_ _Why can't I stay here," Ren asked as she looked up into Hizashi's eyes. The regret in them was suffocating. They both were clearly having a hard time breathing normally. "Why can't I live with one of you," she pressed. She already knew that her request was futile but she had to try._

 _"_ _Because you do not fit the Hyuga image we are trying to set," Hiashi informed her harshly. The distaste on his face was the first emotion Ren had ever seen on him. His scowl was menacing and made her shoulders slump more as she tried to collapse into herself. "You look like a rebel, dress like you're homeless or at least have some emotional issues, and that is not the example we wish to show the world."_

 _"_ _I would allow you to stay with me," Hizashi interrupted before his brother could do more damage, "but with my son being your age it would be frowned upon."_

 _"_ _But we're cousins," Ren whimpered. She was crying but she would not sob in front of these two. She shifted a glance to Tsunade but she was trying her best to pretend that this wasn't happening in her office._

 _"_ _You're his fifth cousin and in the eyes of some that is enough distance for you two to have relations," Hiashi told her. His glare was threatening and she wouldn't look at him any further; it felt like he was burning her and their eyes weren't even connected. The teen finally understood why her cousin, Hinata, was so shy and hard on herself. This man was a monster of indifference and cruelty._

 _"_ _I'm truly sorry. Make this chance to start over count, Ren," Hizashi stated as he pulled his hand from her slowly._

 _He walked out of the room and Ren's breath caught in her throat. Her favorite uncle couldn't even help her out of this situation and that was depressing. She swallowed hard to keep the sob from escaping._ 'Not here,' _she told herself,_ 'I'm not going to let you see me break.' _It took every ounce of self-control not to lose herself to her grief in front of the CEO of the Hyuga Corporation._

 _A large yellow envelope was shoved into her hands by Hiashi as he walked past her. "Your plane ticket is in there as well as information about your father and his family. You leave the day after your mother's funeral. That will be on Monday. Take that time to decide what you will be taking with you. Everything else will be put in storage until you are 18. Any compensation money received from the lawsuit we are filing with the other driver will be placed into a bank account that you will have access to. The Hyuga's will do that much for you. Try not to give us a bad reputation in Kaze no Kuni," he told her._

 _The moment the door slammed closed behind him a dam broke for Ren. She began sobbing and couldn't catch her breath. She had lost the one person that believed in her! She was moving out of the country and away from her friends! Shikamaru would stay here and continue on without her. Her heart hurt so badly and she just couldn't stop it. Arms wrapped gently around her shoulders and her face was pressed gently against two soft mounds. "Hyuga's don't know a damn thing about sympathy or teenagers. You're fine as you are," Tsunade told her as she stroked Ren's hair. Ren didn't say anything for a while, she just cried into Tsunade's chest and allowed the warmth and comfort the usually blunt and angry woman offered. It was funny that the dean of her school was the person to comfort her instead of her own family._

 _When Ren's sobs finally let up Tsunade pulled back enough to look into her eyes. The woman's beautiful amber eyes locked on Ren's lifeless pale ones. The emotion Ren saw in Tsunade's eyes brought her further comfort; this woman understood what it was like to lose a loved one and knew exactly what Ren would need. "You don't have to come back to school tomorrow," Tsunade told her gently, "I'm so sorry, Ren. I know that doesn't help your situation but it's all I can offer you right now. Make sure you get phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses from your friends. Just because you're moving away doesn't mean you have to let them go and when you're 18 I'm sure you can come back."_

 _Ren nodded and murmured, "Thank you. I guess I'll go collect those phone numbers and get my stuff."_

 _"_ _Here," Tsunade said as she handed Ren a sheet of paper, "Even though you aren't going to be going here any longer you can keep in touch with me too. My personal phone number is on there too. You're a good kid and I know you're going to do amazing things. I'm sorry to see you go and even sorrier for your loss."_

The looks on their faces reflected her uncle's so perfectly that she almost laughed. Ren had piercings, a few tattoos, and wore dark clothes. She wasn't a bad person; she just felt like expressing herself in this way. She loved the way black clothing made her eyes look, she liked having piercings to fidget with when she was nervous or concentrating (it saved a lot of poor, defenseless pencils), and her body was a canvas waiting to be painted on.

Jia recovered first and it was like she forgot that she had been frozen in shock only a second before. Her arms embraced Ren awkwardly. "Welcome home," she said as she rubbed the Hyuga's back. Ren awkwardly patted Jia's back and prayed she would let go soon. Thankfully she did but not completely. Her hands were on Ren's shoulders as she looked the girl over.

No words were said from Jia so Ren muttered, "Thanks." She wasn't going to argue that this wasn't her home. She knew she had to try to get along with these people and it wasn't like Jia had separated her home from their home. It was slightly refreshing but sent a pang of grief through her already grieving heart. Home was with her mother but she was no longer within this world. The Hyuga knew she would have to try her best to make the most of this unfortunate situation.

Jia stepped back and Hideki was right there with his free hand extended to her. "It's good to finally meet you," he said calmly. His face wasn't one of disdain any longer but just simple impassiveness.

The words struck Ren like lightning and surged through her body, making her feel numb. "Likewise," she told him softly and forced a small smile that would have been more fitting on a robot.

"I told Ren that after we get her stuff unpacked and she meets the boys we'd go to the mall to get her some clothes that are more Nagisa-friendly. Apparently, it's still cool back in Konoha," TenTen told them gently to cut through the awkwardness. She wore a cheeky grin on her face and her eyes were locked on Ren. It was as if TenTen was telling her 'I've got you, don't worry.' That made things a little easier to swallow.

"Suigetsu is at swim practice and Sasuke is still at soccer practice," Jia informed them gently with her arms tucked behind her back. Anyone that drove by could look at them and know that these people were all uncomfortable with each other. Jia stood in front of TenTen, Hideki stood in front of Ren, and TenTen stood next to Ren for moral support. "They should be home soon," Jia continued, "at least by the time we get your things unpacked and you settled in. Konohamaru is playing in the backyard with Gamatatsu."

The confusion must have been clear on Ren's face because Hideki motioned for them to head inside with a nod of his head towards the front door. Jia led the way happily with Hideki close on her heels. TenTen and Ren followed at a more leisurely pace which gave TenTen time to explain things to Ren. "Suigetsu and Sasuke are my brothers from mom's first marriage. They were adopted when I was 4 years old but they're your age. Mom and my birth dad took them in after Sasuke's parents were murdered. He and Suigetsu were foster kids that they took in. Mom fell in love with them both and my dad couldn't say no to her; besides they didn't have anyone that would ever be coming for them anyway.

"That's not important, though. Just think of them as mom's kids from her first marriage. Konohamaru is our half-brother. He's the spawn of your dad and my mom," she chuckled a little and shook her head, "I'm sure you already know that much, though. Oh and Gamatatsu is Konohamaru's toad. We could've had a cat, dog, bird, or even a fish but the twerp wanted that silly yellow toad."

Ren smiled slightly and immediately knew that she would probably get along with her half-brother. He strived to be different even if he did simply choose an abnormal pet. Ren stepped in through the front door and her breath hitched in her throat. The place was amazingly beautiful and extravagant. The floors were a dark wood that was glossy and felt slick even under the treads of her combat boots. Elaborate designs of swirls decorated the molding at the top and bottom of the walls and around the door frames; the whole room was brightly lit. This was only the foyer and Ren felt like she had stepped into a modern day fairytale castle.

TenTen already had her shoes off and a pair of white slippers on her feet when Ren finally snapped out of it. She would get used to this; that much she was sure of because she would have to. Ren removed her boots and placed them next to TenTen's flip-flops. She grabbed the plush white slippers that TenTen was holding out to her. "We weren't sure what size your feet would be so hopefully they'll fit nicely," TenTen told her with a smile.

"Thanks," Ren responded as she gently placed them on her feet. They were a little big bit that was better than the alternative.

"C'mon, I'll show you my room. You're going to be rooming with me for a while because Mom's still trying to plan out how your room should be. They're building it on the back of the house but the details are still in the works," the bun-haired girl informed her quietly as she led her way through the house. Everything was amazing and it really felt like a home. "I'm sorry to say that you'll be sleeping on a twin sized mattress for now, though. The king size Mom has ordered for you just won't fit with mine." Ren nodded in understanding but said nothing for fear of sounding stupid or poor. Ren had slept on a twin bed her whole life so it wouldn't be so bad. "This is Sasuke's room," TenTen told her as she opened a door to the left.

The room was dark even after TenTen flipped the light on. The walls were dark blue, his furniture was stained dark brown, his bedding was black, and even the armchair that Ren could see was black leather. Sasuke seemed to be the dark and brooding type if she could trust his room as a guide. There weren't many personal items but she noticed a few picture frames and soccer trophies on his dresser. Seeing his achievements in the sport she loved so much was overwhelming. She wasn't even sure she would want to play anymore; it just wouldn't be the same without her mother.

"This room is Suigetsu's," TenTen cut through her thoughts as she opened the door across from Sasuke's. Light blue walls were the first thing the Hyuga noticed. The second was that Suigetsu's room wasn't as clean. Clothes littered the floor and his dark blue bed was unmade. "He's a barbarian," TenTen muttered, "Getting him to clean his room is like trying to get a fish to walk on its tailfins."

Ren laughed a little and followed TenTen down the hall further. "This one's Konohamaru's room. It's a disaster zone too. He's got toys everywhere. I'm not gonna waste our time showing it to you because I know he'll have you in there as soon as he gets the chance." Ren smiled and nodded. She really wasn't one for talking especially since the two people she actually opened up to were unavailable; her mother was dead and Shikamaru was back in Hi no Kuni. "Last but not least this is my room… well... our room for the time being," the bun-haired girl said as she opened the second to last door in that hallway.

The room wasn't what Ren expected. There was no pink but instead, everything was pale yellow with green borders. The bedding on TenTen's king sized canopy bed was grass green with lighter green swirls. There was a twin bed across from it that had the same pattern and two dressers. Jia was sitting on Ren's temporary bed next to her two bags looking at them. "We'll have your own room built quickly enough and you can decorate it any way you'd like," Jia told her with a bright smile.

"I appreciate that," Ren said gently.

"I'll leave you to unpack. I'm sure TenTen can give you a hand. I need to start preparing dinner. Hideki is trying to round up Konohamaru and Gamatatsu. After dinner, you two can head to the mall. I may make you take along Suigetsu and Sasuke though," Jia said as she stood up.

"Mom. I go to the mall with my friends all the time. It's not like I need an escort," TenTen huffed.

"You know full well that the last time you were there you were having trouble with boys bothering you and your friends! If the boys are with you that shouldn't happen."

Ren awkwardly fiddled with her bags. She didn't think this was a conversation that involved her really. There was no point in her even being here for it but it wasn't like she could just walk away.

"Whatever," TenTen grumbled. Jia left the room and TenTen flopped back onto her bed with a sigh. "I feel like she thinks I can't handle myself just because I'm a girl." Her words trailed off then she sat up. "Oh right! There's the bathroom," TenTen pointed out the door next to the room beside Konohamaru's. She then pointed to the sliding door next to Ren's bed. "That's the closet. I have that dresser cleaned out for you," TenTen pointed to the one at the foot of Ren's bed, "And there's space in the closet too. If it's okay with you I'm going to call my friend Temari and see if she wants to meet us at the mall after dinner. You're going to love her; she's a riot."

 _'_ _You don't even know me well enough to know who I hang out with. I suppose having one friend before I start school next Monday wouldn't be a bad thing, though,'_ Ren thought to herself. "That's fine by me," the Hyuga said as she began pulling clothes out of her bags. Putting them away wouldn't be a big deal and it wasn't like she had brought many with her anyway.

* * *

 **Ren Note (8/23/16):** I've decided to be one of those authors that answers reviews for everyone to see at the end of each chapter... and straighten up some of my possible errors to smooth things out.

 **Chapter One Review:**

 _nacheell_ chapter 1 . Jul 9

Please let Ren and Shikamaru fall in love with each other I can't best friends be loves. Anyways please update soon I can't wait for the next chapter

 _My Response:_ Ren and Shikamaru are great friends and I'm not sure who her love is going to be.. this is a bumpy ride and -like in real life- it is not set in stone. This story takes bits and pieces from my real life and because of that, I can say that Shikamaru is unlikely... but this story is Ren's and not my own... so perhaps hers will have a different outcome than my own.


	3. Family Dinner

TenTen hung up the phone shortly before Ren finished putting away her things. Most of her clothes were hung up in the closet and her undergarments literally took up half of one dresser drawer; that was it. On top of the dresser sat a few picture frames and keepsakes she had brought from home. There was a picture of her mother, one of her mother and herself, a few of her and her soccer team, and one of Ren's first formal dance.

"Wow, I didn't know you were into soccer. Sasuke plays too but I never really got into it myself," TenTen mused aloud as she gently lifted one of the photo frames.

Ren got up from her bed and peeked at the photograph in TenTen's hands. "That was last summer's team. We didn't have enough girls interested to make a 'girl's only' squad so the few of us who were interested played with the boys. This is Choji. Don't let his size fool you he's really fast and one hell of a goalkeeper," she told her as she pointed to a plump boy who had opted for drawing red swirls on his cheeks as his 'war paint.' The grin on his face brought a small smile to Ren's lips. "This is Shino Aburame," she said as she pointed out a boy who wore dark glasses and the team's hoodie to cover as much of his face as he could. "He's really quiet and a great listener. He's pretty smart too but Kiba," she pointed to the boy in the middle of the picture, "Tends to talk over him so a lot of times his plans are ignored. I feel like we could've won more games if we'd have listened to him. Kiba's kind of a loud mouth and brash but all the girls at Konoha High worship the ground he walks on."

"I can see why, I guess. He is handsome," TenTen stated with a chuckle. "Who's this one," she asked as she pointed to a boy who took the green uniform and amplified it by wearing green everything. His bowl cut and bushy eyebrows made him stick out like a sore thumb. One look at the guy and you knew he was a dork.

"That's Rock Lee. He's an amazing midfielder. He always gives everything one hundred and ten percent and doesn't ever consider giving up. I admire him really but he's a bit… eccentric at times. He takes after his dad. That's Might Gai," she pointed to a man who had even bushier eyebrows than Lee, "He's the assistant coach and a slave driver when Couch Hatake isn't around to reel him in." Ren giggled and pointed out the silver haired coach who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Wow," TenTen said with a low whistle, "He's hot right? Why's he wearing that mask over his face though?"

"Well," Ren replied as she bit her lip. She took a few seconds to figure out how to say it. "He always wears it. No one is one hundred percent sure why but one of the rumors is that when he was younger he was in a fire and now the lower half of his face is scarred. Another is that he's in the middle of having plastic surgery so he doesn't want his students to see him before he's finished. The last, and dumbest, is that he's got hideous cartoon lips that stick out too far so he hides them. I think he just likes making us all wonder; it's a hobby of his probably."

TenTen chuckled and placed the picture back down. She grabbed another and held it up asking, "This is your mom?"

"Yeah," Ren replied weakly as she stared at the photo of Naoma. Her mother had long dark hair like Ren's and her face was every bit of a noble's. Her pale eyes gleamed at the camera and the smile on her full lips was one in a million. Ren still couldn't believe Naoma was gone. It felt like just yesterday they were rushing through breakfast to get to work and school on time. It hadn't been a week yet and the wound was still so fresh for the Hyuga.

"I'm really sorry for your loss," TenTen said softly as she placed the picture back down. "You look a lot like her. She was super pretty."

"Thank you," Ren responded robotically. Her emotions were becoming harder and harder to keep in check each time she thought of her mother. She really did make a terrible Hyuga; no wonder her uncle Hiashi hadn't wanted her around.

"What about this one," TenTen questioned as she held up the picture that was taken at the Konoha High Homecoming Dance.

Ren smiled weakly as she stared at it. She wore a sparkly dark blue sweetheart-bust corset dress that hugged her curves beautifully. The dress had long sleeves that hung off her shoulders and her mother had let her borrow her diamond choker necklace. It was one of the only pictures that Ren could admit she looked good in. Beside her stood her date. He wore a matching dark blue suit with a light blue dress shirt underneath. His matching dark blue tie had already been loosened and gave him a bad boy edge that suited her; that was one of the things that drew her to him. "That's Shikamaru and I at Homecoming this year," Ren said softly.

"You both look really happy," TenTen stated with a cheeky grin on her lips.

Ren tilted her head and stared at the picture. The photographer had asked them to look like they actually wanted to be there after a few tries to get a decent picture. Ren was looking into Shikamaru's dark eyes and he was staring down into her light ones. He had a lazy smirk on his face and she was actually showing teeth as she grinned at him causing little crinkles on her nose. The couple looked every bit in love; it was no wonder everyone believed they actually were a couple. "Yeah, I guess we did," Ren muttered. She turned her back to the picture and fought to keep breathing normally. She missed him almost as much as her mother.

"Was he your boyfriend," TenTen asked as she sat the picture down. Ren, thankfully, didn't have to respond because there was a knock on their bedroom door. "Come on in," TenTen called towards the door with a sigh.

White hair with the tips dyed blue poked into the door way. "Ma wanted me to let you know dinner's almost ready and you know you aren't supposed to keep your door closed," the guy told TenTen. His eyes skimmed the room until he spotted Ren; then it was like he was a missile searching for a specific target: her. The teenage boy was in the bedroom with Ren's hand held in his faster than Ren could comprehend. "The name's Suigetsu. It's a pleasure to meet you," he told her with a smirk. Before she could open her mouth to say anything he kissed her knuckles.

A loud **SMACK~** echoed through the room as TenTen hit him on the back of the head. "That's our sister, you idiot! Don't try any of your lame flirting on her."

Suigetsu looked a little put out due to the reminder but he still whispered to Ren, "I'm adopted so it's okay." Ren's face turned cherry red as she stared at her step-brother wide eyed. TenTen had apparently heard because she smacked him again. "What," he shouted.

"Get out. Stay away from her. You're gross," TenTen muttered. Suigetsu sighed and sulked out of the room. "I am so sorry about him. He's an idiot who thinks he's Casanova or something. Don't let him get to you. I guess since he's home and mom's got dinner done we should go introduce you to Konohamaru and Sasuke. Suigetsu's lucky dad wasn't in here or he would've been so grounded or something," TenTen told her as she wrapped her arm around Ren's shoulder. The Hyuga hadn't realized how short she was until she stood like that next to TenTen. A small smile formed on her lips. "I just don't get it. You put him in front of a pretty girl and he goes stupid."

Ren's cheeks flushed once more and she did her best not to even think about what had just happened. She froze up with him there like that; it was really unlike her.

TenTen lead her into the dining room where the table was already set. Hideki was at the head of the table with a newspaper open in front of him. The chair to his left was empty but the one to the right contained the guy Ren could only assume was Sasuke. He was dressed in all black, much like she was, and gave off an 'I'm better than you and don't care what you think' vibe that could've dampened even Kiba's spirits. Aside from their clothing styles the two were opposites. Ren's face had piercings and her body housed a few pieces of art whereas Sasuke's face was jewelry free and, judging by the skin she could see, he was a blank canvas.

"Where's Konohamaru and Suigetsu," TenTen asked as the two girls stepped fully into the room.

"With mother," Sasuke stated without even looking up. He was messing around on his smartphone and seemed completely uninterested in anything going on around him. TenTen sighed weakly and cleared her throat. With a heavy sigh he turned his head to look at TenTen. "What," he asked flatly with his eyes half lidded. He looked bored out of his mind but the look didn't suit him quite as well as it did Shikamaru.

"Sasuke," TenTen told him with a glare in his direction, "This is Ren, our _sister_. Ren, this is Sasuke."

A small smile formed on the Hyuga's lips. "H-hi," Ren said sheepishly with a little wave.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned back to his phone. Ren's small smile faded and her lips formed a tight line. Hideki lowered the paper to stare at the teenage boy. His eyes were hard but Sasuke didn't even seem to notice so the head of the household kicked his shin under the table. "What," he hissed lowly as he lifted his leg to rub the now tender limb. Hideki nodded his head towards Ren and another sigh escaped the teenage boy. "Hi," he said in a sarcastic tone with his eyebrows furrowed. His attention went back to his phone but not before he shot Hideki a quick, "Happy now?" Hideki shook his head and pulled the paper back upright to continue reading; the matter was closed.

Ren knew now that she was going to hate Sasuke. She could appreciate his apparent darkness but there was a difference between being deep and being an asshole; Sasuke was clearly the latter. "Sorry," TenTen mumbled. Apparently she was going to be apologizing for her brothers a lot. "I hate to do this to you but you can sit next to Sasuke," she whispered low for only Ren to hear.

"That's fine," Ren whispered back sweetly as she took her seat with as much grace as she could manage. She may not have fit the image of a Hyuga in appearances but the mannerisms were programmed into her brain from an early age. Her napkin was placed delicately in her lap and she crossed her ankles before tucking them underneath her chair.

TenTen sat beside her and smiled warmly. The napkin found its way onto her lap and she stretched her feet out under the table. It was almost like polar opposites sitting together. The girl with elegance was also the one who looked like a troublemaker. TenTen was graceful in her own way but it was very clear that she hadn't been forced to act proper all the time. Her relaxation was refreshing for the Hyuga.

The awkward silence that filled the room was thankfully interrupted by Suigetsu coming in. He was stretching and glanced at the table with a mock pout on his lips. "Hey, TenTen," he whined, "What gives? I wanted Ren to sit in front of me."

"Oh, I know," TenTen muttered under her breath.

"Why don't you and Ren switch places then," Hideki suggested without taking his eyes off the newspaper.

A frown formed on TenTen's lips and Ren's eyes darted down at her lap. "I want her to sit next to me," Sasuke muttered. All eyes landed on the brooding male and he shifted uncomfortably even though he didn't take his eyes from his phone. Ren's face was cherry red as both she and TenTen gaped openly at the boy. "She's quiet," he said with a shrug, as if that explained everything.

Suigetsu opened his mouth to argue or maybe even tease Sasuke but his words were inaudible over the 10 year old boy who came running into the room shouting, "Dinner's ready!" Hideki folded his paper and placed it under his plate while Ren studied the boy. He had dark eyes just like her father, brown hair that was only a little darker than TenTen and Jia's, and his face was pudgy like a baby's. He grinned at the Hyuga and she noticed he was missing a front tooth. "You must be Ren. I'm Konohamaru," he told her with his grin growing, "It's really nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Konohamaru," Ren told him quietly. Her lips bowed up slightly into a small smile of her own that wasn't as forced as she expected it to be. His personality was bright and cheerful compared to even TenTen's. "I like the way you wear your hair," Ren mused quietly as the boy took his seat in front of her. It was in a spikey ponytail that reminded her so much of Shikamaru that it sent a quiver of grief from her heart through her whole body.

"Thanks! Mom says that I should get it cut but I like wearing it like this. One of my teachers wears his hair the same way and he's so cool," Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Quiet down, Konohamaru," Hideki reprimanded lowly while placing his napkin on his lap.

"Sorry, Dad," Konohamaru whimpered quietly. He followed Hideki's lead and placed his napkin on his own lap with a little assistance from Suigetsu.

"We don't get to eat meals as a family very often," Jia informed Ren as she brought food from the kitchen, "Usually everyone is too busy to sit at the table together." Jia laughed gently as she began setting down food. There was rice, stir-fried pork, and vegetables. It all looked simply delicious.

Ren waited until Jia had sat the teapot down before she responded to her comment, "My mom and I didn't get to have dinner together very often either. She is… I'm sorry, was, my uncle Hizashi's assistant so her life was pretty busy. I was busy too, of course. I spent a lot of time with my best friend and playing soccer." Ren's eyes had glazed over as she thought about her mother. Shockingly her voice did not crack as she spoke and she was able to keep her face blank.

"You play soccer," Hideki asked from the head of the table. The food was being distributed amongst the family by this point.

"Yes. I was a midfielder on my school's team," Ren replied quietly. She was more or less just picking at her food and couldn't bare the idea of looking up into her father's eyes. Naoma and Ren had conversations at the dinner table but if they were eating with her uncles it was silent so that the food could be enjoyed wholly. It was a new experience for the Hyuga to be involved in a dinner conversation with so many people present.

"Sasuke is a striker," Jia told her with a smile that made her pride obvious. Ren spared a glance to her new step-brother and fought back a frown. He really didn't look like the type to be the most important offensive player; he didn't look like a team player at all. Ren could see that under the table he was still messing with the phone and didn't seem interested in the conversation at all. "Last year his team finished the season with six wins and four losses. I believe two of those losses were to Konoha High. We're hoping for an even better season this year."

Ren's cheeks tinted a dark pink and she forced a bite of rice into her mouth to keep from reminding Jia that _she_ had been on the Konoha High's soccer team. "Ren went to Konoha High, mom," TenTen stated from Ren's right. The Hyuga fought hard not to look at her sister in horror. "Guess that means she comes from one of the only teams that can keep Sasuke from a perfect season." TenTen smirked in Ren's direction and the girl's cheeks darkened.

Suigetsu chuckled and winked at Ren; it went unnoticed by everyone else. "I guess that means you'll be able to give them an advantage this year. You know all their moves, right?" TenTen kicked Suigetsu's knee under the table and he winced in pain. "Well it's true!"

"We don't need her help," Sasuke stated flatly. He shoved a red pepper into his mouth and shrugged.

Ren could not understand this guy. One minute he's all 'she can sit by me' and the next he was saying he didn't need her help. He was definitely arrogant; she could at least understand that much about him. "I wouldn't give out my team's plays anyway," Ren muttered quietly. That was a betrayal the Hyuga would never commit.

"Hey, Ren," Konohamaru called out to get her attention even though they were across from each other. He waited until she lifted her gaze to him before continuing, "Do you think you could teach me to play soccer? Sasuke says I'm not coordinated enough. I'm not sure what that means but I think it's an insult."

Everyone at the table laughed except Sasuke, Ren, and Konohamaru. The Hyuga chewed on her bottom lip while she stole a quick glance at Sasuke. Their eyes met for only a second but Ren's stomach clinched and the little food she had eaten threatened to resurface. It was much safer looking at Konohamaru so that's where her eyes landed. She wasn't sure she ever wanted to touch another soccer ball but after looking into his eyes she couldn't tell him no; she would just have to battle her inner demons and try to get back to normal. "I'd be happy to, Konohamaru," she told him sweetly.

The smile that formed on his face would melt even her cousin Neji's heart; it wouldn't work on Hiashi but melting Neji's would be impressive. Ren always rated a person's coldness on a scale compared to the Hyuga's she had met. Hiashi was the coldest followed by Neji, Hizashi, Tokuma, Hanabi, Ko, Naoma, and finally Hinata because there was no person nicer than Hinata Hyuga. "Great," he shouted, effectively breaking Ren from her thoughts. "Can we start after dinner?"

"I'm taking her to the mall with me after dinner, twerp," TenTen told him with a laugh. She had called him a mean name but it was all in good fun; Ren could tell that much. TenTen loved Konohamaru and even Suigetsu but it was still up in the air about Sasuke. The Hyuga assumed she would figure that out eventually.

"Oh that's right," Jia said quietly.

"Sasuke," Hideki spoke as soon as Jia had finished her thought. It was clear that he wanted to be the one to say whatever it was. Sasuke glanced up at the head of the Hyogo household with a blank expression. "You and Suigetsu are going to accompany your sisters to the mall," he stated firmly.

"Why," Sasuke asked flatly with his obsidian eyes narrowed into a glare that would have set Hideki on fire in another world.

"I'm totally fine with that," Suigetsu said with a smirk. He glanced at Ren which caused her cheeks to darken again; apparently she would be blushing more often than not around Suigetsu.

"See," Sasuke groaned, "Suigetsu wants to go, so why do I have to? I had plans with Karin tonight."

"Cancel them," Hideki demanded flatly.

"You need to get to know Ren," Jia continued for Hideki. Her voice was much softer and easier to swallow then Hideki's. The man may not have been born a Hyuga but it was clear that the ten years he spent within their office before he left had impacted him. "Karin is a nice girl," Jia bit her lip as she said that and shifted her eyes away; it was clearly a lie, "I'm sure she'll understand that you need to spend time with your sisters."

"Whatever," he grunted out in response.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So I know this story wasn't supposed to come out for a long time... but I wanted to at least get it started. So far I think this is my favorite... but I have no idea what the pairings will be. I have a poll on my profile for Ren's pairing... the rest of the pairs will be reflected by who you guys choose. I'm really excited to hear from you all and I'd like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy days to read this. Much Love! XoXo, Ren.


	4. Mall Mayhem

Gulf Point Mall was huge even compared to Hi no Kuni's Ki Square. The building had four stories and more shops than the Hyuga could hope to count. The amount of people that roamed the mall was equally overwhelming. Ren was in no way a small town girl, Konohagakure was the capital of Hi no Kuni, but this caused her stomach to knot and her palms to sweat. There were way too many people around for her comfort; she liked to keep an eye on everyone but it was impossible with so many people. She swallowed through the tightness in her throat and walked a little closer to TenTen.

They were getting weird looks from the people that actually noticed them as they walked by. Ren could imagine the scene did look odd to others. Ren was dressed the same as she had been when she got off the airplane, TenTen was dressed like summer was in full swing, Suigetsu wore shorts and a t-shirt, and Sasuke (who was walking far enough away from them so that he could pretend he didn't know them) wore black skinny jeans and a black muscle shirt. The group didn't look like it fit together at all. Sasuke and Ren might have been able to pull off being seen together without getting noticed but Suigetsu and TenTen's brightness reeled in the eyes of passersby.

"Temari," TenTen shouted as she waved her hands in the air and started jumping in place. Ren had to side step in order to avoid colliding with her sister when she stopped suddenly.

A girl with blond hair that she wore in four pigtails came up to them. Her teal eyes settled on Ren and a smirk formed on her perfect lips. The girl was dressed similarly to TenTen but her top was a light blue, almost gray. "Hey TenTen. Is this her," she asked softly. TenTen nodded with a grin upon her own lips. The blond extended her hand as she said, "I'm Temari Sabaku. It's great to meet you. TenTen told me everything she learned about you but I'm sad to say that isn't a lot."

Ren gently took Temari's hand and almost winced when the girl gripped it firmly. She looked soft but she was clearly quite strong. "I'm Ren Hyuga. It's nice to meet you too." The Hyuga didn't know what to say about the lack of information TenTen knew about her so she bit her lip.

Suigetsu swung his arm around Ren's shoulders, their height difference suddenly becoming even more apparent since his armpit wasn't even close to touching Ren's shoulder. "You'll get to know Ren with the rest of us. It'll be amazing. She's a really cool girl. She plays soccer! Can you believe that," he said.

"Sasuke," a shrill feminine voice shouted from behind the group.

"Oh god," Temari muttered under her breath.

"Fuck," Suigetsu cursed lowly.

"Why does it have to be her," TenTen asked quietly while staring up at the ceiling.

The group didn't even have to turn to see the source of the outburst. A blur of red and light purple whizzed past them and immediately latched onto Sasuke's arm. His expression was utterly confusing; he seemed irritated by the girl holding onto him. She had bright red hair that was cut shorter on one side than the other, black rimmed glasses, a light purple shirt that was unbuttoned up to her bust line (showing off her flat abdomen), and short dark blue shorts that barely contained her butt. "Hey Karin," he said flatly.

 _'_ _This is the girl he made plans with? Shouldn't he be happier to see her,'_ Ren wondered to herself. Her step-brother (she wouldn't call him her brother because he wasn't exactly welcoming) was a complete mystery. A sense of sorrow washed over her as she realized that Shikamaru was probably the easiest guy in the whole world to understand. He liked shogi, tea, deer, naps, and watching the clouds. He disliked work, sports, having to wake up, loud people, and school. There wasn't a guy any simpler than Shikamaru and she missed him so much. He was her knight in shining armor, always there to get her out of uncomfortable situations.

TenTen cleared her throat to stop Karin's rant about missing Sasuke so much she couldn't stand it. TenTen was totally oblivious to the fact that Ren's face was paler than usual and she was silently fighting back tears. Suigetsu seemed to notice because his grip on her shoulders tightened slightly as if he were trying to pull her into his body to protect her from some unseen enemy. Temari even shot her a worried glance with her perfect blond eyebrows furrowed. None of that registered within the Hyuga's mind. Briefly she wondered if she was covering up the loss of her mother with the grief of leaving her friend.

"Ah, right," Sasuke said like he'd forgotten the group was standing there. A glare was shot at Suigetsu and Ren snapped out of her thoughts when Sasuke wrapped his hand around her wrist. He pulled her forward so she was standing directly in front of the redhead but he didn't let go of the Hyuga. "Karin, this is my step-sister, Ren. Ren, this is my girlfriend, Karin," he said flatly.

"H-hello," Ren stammered quietly, "I-it's nice to m-m-meet y-you." She could have kicked herself. _'You're more confident than that, god damn it! No more stuttering! We aren't ten anymore,'_ she scolded herself internally. Was she so nervous because the girl before her gave off an aura of bitchiness or was it because Sasuke was still holding her wrist? She could feel Suigetsu, TenTen, and Temari's eyes on her and she wished she could melt into a puddle on the floor and slip through the cracks.

Karin's top lip raised up in a scowl as she looked Ren up and down. Once again Ren was receiving a look of disgust and it made her angry. She clinched her fists, unaware that Sasuke would notice the muscles in her wrists tensing. "I thought you said she was pretty," Karin spat out as she glanced at Sasuke, "She looks like she belongs in drug rehab."

Ren's pale eyes narrowed and she retorted, "Never done drugs in my life but y'know what? At least I don't dress like a slut." _'Where did that come from?'_

Gasps were heard from the trio behind her and Sasuke, followed by a muffled chuckle from Temari. Karin growled at Ren like a rabid chihuahua, "You bitch! You think you can just show up here and act like you know how shit works? I've got news for you. You need to go back where you came from because you're going to get eaten alive here."

Sasuke's grip on Ren's wrist tightened but that didn't stop her from taking a step forward and invading Karin's personal space; her arm was now at a 40 degree angle behind her back though. Ren was shorter so she had to look up slightly so that the girls' noses were practically touching. "If I could go back home I would in a heartbeat," Ren stated coldly, "I really hope that the other girls around here aren't working girl's like yourself, otherwise this place is going to get real old, real fast."

Sasuke sucked in air so quickly that it sounded like he squeaked. In his state of shock, he released Ren's wrist and with the freedom of it her arm returned to a relaxed position. Karin looked at her confused but her anger didn't fade. "What did you call me," she hissed as she grabbed Ren by the collar of her shirt.

"She called you a whore," Suigetsu informed Karin from behind Ren. He was clearly way too excited over the cat-fight he was about to witness.

"Yep, that's what a working girl is," Ren stated flatly while pretending Karin's grip on her clothing had no effect on her, "I suppose it would have been nicer to call you a 'lady of the evening' but just because you dress a whore up real pretty doesn't make her less of a slut."

Karin's red eyes narrowed dangerously at Ren and the grip on her shirt tightened. "You think you're tough shit, huh," she asked quickly. Before Ren could say anything smart Karin punched her hard in the mouth.

Ren stumbled back but remained upright; the collar of her shirt was now stretched out some. The metallic taste of blood landed on Ren's taste buds and she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand; the contact made by her skin on her lip sent a jolt of even more pain through the Hyuga. Now she had to decide if she wanted to throw one back. Naoma never approved of Ren throwing the first punch but Ren felt she might be disappointed if she didn't throw the last. This girl was everything she hated about other females and the Hyuga did have a lot of rage buried deep inside. With a deep breath Ren swung her left fist at Karin's face. The girl was too slow to react and Ren's fist collided with her cheek. The black glasses Karin wore skidded across the floor to Sasuke's feet.

She should have stopped there, she knew that, but Karin smirked at her and threw another punch towards her stomach. Ren blocked her fist with her palm and grasped it. With a quick twist Ren had Karin's arm pinned behind her back. Karin was on the floor with Ren's knee on her shoulders so quick that the people around them could only blink at the sight. Tears welled up in Ren's eyes but she forced them back. "My mom wouldn't like it if I continued humiliating you," Ren whispered into Karin's ear.

She stood up and walked past Sasuke. Her shoulder bumped his arm but he was still standing their gaping like a fish out of water. Karin remained on the ground groaning. TenTen, Temari, and Suigetsu rushed up to Ren as she approached them. "Are we going to go shopping then," Ren asked quietly. She swallowed hard as Suigetsu draped his arm over her shoulders.

"Sure," TenTen said as she led the way towards a store that sold swimsuits.

"That was _amazing_ ," Temari told Ren as she looped one of her arms through the Hyuga's, "You are so going to fit in with Ten and me."

Suigetsu chuckled and Ren nodded blankly. "Hey your lip isn't bleeding too badly is it," Suigetsu asked so lowly that even Temari couldn't hear him. She shook her head and he nodded. "Well if you need anyone to kiss it and make it better, just let me know," he told her with a wink.

Ren's face turned tomato red as she stared at Suigetsu. "I-I'll k-ke-keep th-that i-in m-mind," She stammered out before pulling herself out from under his arm and quickening her pace (and Temari's) to catch up with TenTen.

Ren didn't know what living here would be like but if the first six hours were anything to go by… Life would be very eventful.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So this story has no... schedule. I was trying to make one but couldn't stick with it with all the stuff going on in my life. I'll be making a detailed schedule later tonight then posting it on my page for those of you who want to keep tabs on what's coming out when... or just to know some of my personal business. I do have a poll there for this story but it's not working right when you simply click it. If you have Facebook you can find my character page (Ren Hyuga) and the poll is there as well as updates that I don't waste your time with here. Thanks so much for Reading! See you guys next time


	5. Catching Up

Ren sat down on her bed and looked around the room. She was home alone; Hideki and Jia were at work while her 'siblings' were at school so she had the whole house to herself. She had already familiarized herself with the rest of the house and showered; now the Hyuga was bored. She glanced at the alarm clock across the room on TenTen's nightstand and smiled when she saw that it was five o'clock in the evening. Hi no Kuni was an hour behind and Shikamaru would've been home for about half an hour now. The smile on her lips widened as she pulled out her laptop and signed in to Shinobi IM. She knew that he would receive the notification that said "Troublesome Misfit is now Online" so she simply waited.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Hey, Ren. How's the new family?_

She couldn't keep the smile off her face but made sure to take her time replying; she didn't want to seem too eager to talk to him.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Hey, Shikamaru. To steal your word: Troublesome_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _That's such a drag. How are you holding up?_

"Typical Shika," she mused aloud quietly.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I'm keeping myself together but it's rough. I've been here one day and already gotten into trouble._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _What'd you do? Break the fine china?_

A giggle echoed through the room and the Hyuga glanced around to make sure she was still alone. It would be so embarrassing for someone to walk in on her laughing to herself.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _lol. No! I called Sasuke's girlfriend, Karin, a whore, got punched in the face (my lip is bruised; that's how I got caught), and then ended up pinning her to the floor in the middle of the mall. I guess those karate classes the school made us take four years ago paid off._

She touched her swollen lip and pouted a little. That damn whore had hit her hard enough that her hoop didn't fit properly. She had a stud in her lip now to keep the hole from closing and it looked stupid in Ren's opinion.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Sasuke? What'd you do that for?_

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _He's Jia (my step-mom)'s adopted son. Well one of them but we'll talk about them after I tell you about this fight. I called her a whore because she dressed like one, practically called me ugly, and looked at me like I was beneath her. She said I look like I need to be in drug rehab… I hate her._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Sasuke must not be the greatest guy if he's dating a girl like that. She's clearly blind. You're beautiful._

A blush crept up Ren's face and a cheeky grin formed on her lips. She had to press her cold fingers against her burning cheeks to calm down enough to type. Shikamaru was so sweet and he didn't even realize it.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Awwww, Shika! She was wearing glasses… so maybe she is lol._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _What punishment did you get?_

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Well… Hideki was pissed and scolded me for half an hour about setting a good image (like I haven't been hearing that lecture my whole life) and focusing on more important things than causing trouble. Jia cried and tried to figure out how she could fix me. *rolls eyes* I'm not broken… Well… I mean maybe I am but that wasn't why I did it. I wasn't going to let her punch me and get away with it. I'm tired of being seen as a bug people can squish. It was terrible but at least I'm not grounded._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Yeah. My dad would've taken my phone, computer, and Nintendo if I got in a fight. Anyways, tell me about your family._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Well, there's Sasuke and Suigetsu; they were adopted by Jia and her first husband when her daughter TenTen was little. Sasuke's a complete and utter asswipe. He's arrogant as hell and gives off this vibe of 'I don't care what you think' and 'Leave me alone'. How he is dating a girl like Karin is beyond me. Maybe she just bothered him so much that he caved? *shrug*_

 _TenTen is amazing. She's a lot of fun to be around and is really easy to talk to. At first I thought she was a preppy girl and would be annoying but I was wrong. She is actually kind of a tomboy and loves martial arts. I found that out after the fight with Karin. She and Temari, her friend, are both on the martial arts team at Nagisa High._

 _Konohamaru's a funny little guy and my half-brother. He's got a lot of energy and his smiles are contagious. I love the little guy already. After dinner I'm going to teach him how to play soccer (or at least try)._

 _Jia's my step-mom and is nice enough. She kind of gives off a false-nice vibe though. It's like she wants to be friends with me so she's trying too hard. I may be judging her too harshly though. She's just not my mom._

 _Both Hideki and Jia work at Sabaku Industries in the higher ups' offices. I don't know many details about it and don't plan to ask. Hideki is strict, I think, and very detached. He'd fit right in with Hiashi._

 _Oh! I almost forgot Suigetsu! (I'm a terrible "sister"). He is nice enough… a bit too nice. He's a big flirt and doesn't seem to care that we're supposed to be brother and sister. I have a hard time forming thoughts when he's like that. It's dumb but he makes me so nervous and embarrassed that I can't function._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _They sound like a handful. Do I need to exchange words with this Suigetsu guy? You know I avoid anything too exhausting, but I'll do it for you. I'm sorry I'm not there to chase him off._

A sad smile formed on the Hyuga's lips and her heart skipped a beat. Why hadn't she realized how good Shikamaru was to her before she left? Now she was going to be left with 'what ifs'. That didn't bode well but maybe after she turned 18 she could figure out if they would work or not.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I love you so much! Have I told you that? I don't wish you were here, though. I would rather be there with you. TenTen, Temari, and Konohamaru are the only ones making it bearable to be here._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _You have told me. *smirks* You told me Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday after your mom's funeral. I'm still sorry I wasn't able to see you off. I miss you a lot already._

She decided to ignore the pain in her heart when he mentioned her mom's funeral. She would shrug it off and focus on the rest of it; that was far more important and embarrassing anyway. She didn't have time to grieve.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _OMG! Shikamaru! You don't have to list each day like that! I miss you too. How's school going? Am I missing anything?_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _School is such a drag. They gave us a test in chemistry today but it was so easy. Oh, Ino asked how our weekend went and a lot of people have been asking where you are._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I'm sorry people keep bugging you about me. I didn't tell anyone but you I was leaving because I didn't want to be around anyone else. What did you tell Ino?_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _I don't mind telling them. I mean it sucks that you're gone but I understand not wanting to tell anyone else. The weirdest one was Shino. He asked if you were sick. I told him you moved to live with your dad and he seemed… I don't know… sad? It's really hard to tell with those dark glasses and high collars he wears. And I told Ino… Wouldn't you like to know? ;)_

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Shino asked about me and was sad? Weird. He's always so quiet and we've never talked much. Seriously though! What did you tell her?!_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _What does it matter? You aren't going to see her anytime soon._

Her mind and heart were racing. She wished she jump into her computer and out his just to grab his shirt and force him to tell her.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _OMG… you didn't tell her that we… Did you?!_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _I just told her the truth. *shrugs*_

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Shikamaru!_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Ren._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _That is soooooo worse than kissing and telling!_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Kissing me in class is the same thing._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _No, no it isn't! People shrug off a kiss. Now they're going to think I'm a whore…_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Having amazing sex with your best friend doesn't make you a whore. Besides, no one thinks that. As far as everyone knows we've been together forever so it's not like you're easy by sleeping with me. There's a rumor going around that you're going to be Ren Nara now, though. Apparently people expect us to be each other's 'one and only'._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I can't believe you…_

Ren really couldn't believe him. She was humiliated and he was the one who brought it on. She wanted to cry but fought it back. Maybe things weren't as bad as she thought. Her ego was boosted a little though; he had said the sex was amazing. Then again the two had 'practiced' enough that it should've been.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _I didn't say it was the smartest move I've ever made. Dad found out and was considering calling your mom until I reminded him… well… why you moved away. My mom was sobbing and begging for it to be a lie. I couldn't lie to my mom. I guess it finally hit her that I'm not a little boy anymore._

How would her mom have taken it? Would they have had sex if Naoma hadn't died? The Hyuga just wasn't sure at this point. A lone tear hit the spacebar as she typed her message.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Mom would've either killed us or been planning a wedding. I'm honestly not sure which at this point._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Watch out. Dad could still go that route. He's not decided what he's doing to me yet._

As quick as the tears had come they left. She shook her head chuckling. She could see Shikaku trying to arrange a marriage between them over this. Her hands quickly wiped the tears from her face before she began typing again.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _You're my best friend and I love you but we've never even dated. Keep him away from my uncles. lol._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Haha. I don't want to marry you yet either. Maybe when we're older and know what we want, I'll ask you. You're the least troublesome woman I know._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Yet you're always calling me 'Troublesome Woman'._

 ** _Cloudgrazer:_** _Because you are… but you're also a simple girl who's easy to please… or rather… I know I can please you._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Shikamaru!_

Ren's face was going to be red forever; she was sure of it. All the blood would rush there and it'd never fade; she would die because her blood wasn't going through the rest of her body. She bit her lip and wished she could see his face to know if he was blushing or not. Maybe she would ask him to cam another day after she got a new one.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing for now._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Good. Okay. I guess when we're older we can get married and have 8 kids._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _8?! I was thinking 2. A boy first then a girl._

The smirk and chuckle couldn't be helped; that was a reaction she had been hoping for, sort of.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Okay, first off: You don't get to choose genders… You get what you get. Second: Yes 8. I want lots of babies. Think about it! We could have 8 little pineapple headed ShikaRen-s running around._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _That's what I'm afraid of. I don't know if the world could handle 8 ShikaRen-s._

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Shit. Dad's home. Gotta bolt. Love ya! XoXo_

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _Love you too! xOxO_

 ** _Cloudgazer is Offline_**

Ren sighed as she sat back against the wall. She knew Shikamaru was kidding around but it wouldn't be the end of the world to really marry him. He understood her a hell of a lot better than her new family. She really wished Yoshino and Shikaku would've allowed her to move in with them. Damn all the old families with their values of propriety. Then again she had tainted their heir… but he had deflowered her too.

With a shrug she pushed those thoughts away and scanned through her contact list. Ino and Sakura were online but she didn't want to talk to them. Kiba was there but he had been blocked for a while; the last time she was in a chat with him he flashed everyone because he was drunk. Ren wouldn't deny that his size was impressive but she still didn't want to risk a repeat performance. She bit her lip and found Shino's username 'BugMasterAburame' but he was offline. "Oh well," Ren murmured, "I'll talk to him later."

The front door closed so Ren shut down her laptop and hurried out to the living room. A frown formed on her lips when she saw that it was only Sasuke. She had been hoping TenTen or Konohamaru would be home before anyone else. "Mom and Hideki are working late tonight," Sasuke told her lowly while he walked past her. She heard his bedroom door slam and nearly jumped out of her plush slippers.

She sighed and squeezed the back of her neck with both hands. _'Why is he such an asswipe?'_ She rolled her eyes when she realized there would be no fixing him. "Fuck him," Ren muttered under her breath as she walked back to TenTen's bedroom. _'Now what am I supposed to do?'_ She didn't know the area or have a car and her only friends were TenTen and Temari.

Ren moved her laptop into the second drawer of her dresser then threw herself onto her bed belly first. "This is such a drag," she groaned into her pillow as she shoved her face into it.

"What are you doing," a male voice she was beginning to know all too well asked from the doorway. The Hyogo's had a rule about doors only being closed for dressing.

"Nothing." She pushed herself onto her hands and knees then turned to sit with her back against the wall. As she pushed her hair back behind her ears she avoided looking at him. "I figured I'd disappear in here for a while," she told him with a shrug.

Their eyes met because Ren could feel his gaze on her so she turned to look at him; onyx black met thistle purple locked in a stare down. It was like time stood still between the two of them. Neither said anything but Ren's heart felt like it was being squeezed. "Want to go get a pizza," he finally asked.

She bit her bottom lip hard then winced when she felt the pain from the bruise. It was just a painful reminder of his idiotic girlfriend and it couldn't go away soon enough. "I don't think Karin would like that very much," she murmured. _'Why the hell did I say that? It's not like it's a date, dumb-dumb. He's your step-brother.'_

He shrugged and told her, "She doesn't really have a say anymore since I broke up with her. C'mon I'm starving and we're going to be the only two home for a while. Mom will never shut up if I don't take you with me."

 _'_ _Oh good. He's just taking me along because of his mom. That makes me feel classy,'_ she thought with a scowl. His brows knitted downwards and she blushed slightly when she realized she had shown her displeasure with the whole situation. "Yeah, okay," she grumbled as she pushed herself to the edge of the bed carefully; she didn't want to give him a free show of her panties in the black skirt she wore. It was TenTen's idea to get it and many others like it.

"You might want to change into pants or at least shorts," he told her before turning away. "I'm leaving in five minutes with or without you. Oh, and do something with your hair."

Ren grumbled under her breath about him being demanding as she shut the bedroom door tightly. It didn't even take her three minutes to put on a pair of black skinny jeans (she managed to find a pair without holes) and put her hair up in a high ponytail like Ino always wore. She considered clipping her bangs back since they hung loosely, parted on the right side and swept across to the left. "Fuck it," she muttered after her search for bobby pins came up empty. She glanced at herself in the mirror and contemplated makeup. _'It's not a date. Just go!'_

A soft sigh escaped her parted lips and she opened the bedroom door. Sasuke was standing their staring at his watch while leaning back against the wall holding Ren's combat boots and his Converse. He handed her shoes to her, which she took without thought. "Do you always talk to yourself," Sasuke asked as he pushed off the wall to stand tall. He was really tall too, he had a good foot on her.

A blush crept its way up to Ren's cheeks and she closed her eyes for a second to collect herself. "Not always," she told him as he began down the hall with her almost at his heels, "I just like to know I'm in good company now and then." It was a dumb comment that had been meant to be a snappy remark but it didn't really come out that way.

"Hn," he grunted out. He led her through the kitchen and opened the door that lead to the garage. They both put their shoes on in a hurry. He was twirling his keys around his index finger as Ren looked around; the garage was huge. TenTen's Beatle wasn't there (she knew it wouldn't be), Suigetsu's mystery vehicle was missing, and both Jia and Hideki's Mercedes-Benzes were away. The only vehicle in the garage almost knocked the air out of her. _'Of course he would have a motorcycle,'_ she mused to herself as she approached the Kawasaki Ninja 300. It was black with silver accents and the rims looked like shuriken. "Like it," he asked plainly as she rubbed her hand against the leather seat.

"I had one similar back home," she mused aloud as she circled the motorcycle, trying to remember every detail about it.

"Here," Sasuke said as he grabbed a black helmet from the handlebars.

"Thanks," she muttered. The helmet went on super easily and she smiled to herself. She was sure Sasuke didn't know it but in a way he was helping her feel less homesick. She would always miss home but there was something about riding a motorcycle that always made her feel alive. She needed the thrill to get her blood pumping; she was beginning to feel like a zombie.

Sasuke put on his own black helmet; she secretly hoped she would get to see him with helmet hair when he took it off. It was weird that they were matching so well it was scary. Everything they wore was black; both wore black skinny jeans, black tops, black shoes, and now black helmets. It was a good thing the sun was far from setting or their attire could be dangerous. She bit her lip as he pushed the garage door button on his key chain then put the key in the ignition. He threw his long leg up over it and eased himself onto the seat with such grace Ren was mesmerized.

She snapped out of it when he rolled his shoulders and placed his left hand on the handlebar. Without being told she carefully got onto the back and placed her hands on her lap. It didn't occur to her until that moment that she was going to have to either hold onto Sasuke or hope she could grab the seat in front of her. He started the bike before she even realized he had turned the key. _'I can't believe I zoned out for the whole process. I know it can be done quickly but not_ _that_ _quickly. I should have noticed.'_ Her pale eyes closed for a moment and she listened to the roar of the engine; she could have purred right along with it.

"Hold on," he told her over his shoulder. She swallowed hard and was trying to figure out where on the seat to grab when the bike jolted forward. Reflex alone had her arms around Sasuke's waist. He chuckled lowly and stated, "I thought you've rode before."

She was thankful he couldn't see her face because she was certainly blushing. Before they were at the end of the driveway Sasuke pushed the button to close the garage door. The moment they were on the street he sped up and she had to hold onto him tighter. She hated to admit it but the boy was muscular; she nearly groaned out loud at the discovery. It was no longer necessary for her to keep holding onto him like that but neither said anything about it; Ren was too embarrassed to even mumble an apology he wouldn't hear. She attempted to learn the area as they traveled but they were going too fast for her to read street signs.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I have no idea if anyone really even likes this story... I enjoy it and that's why I've posted it... the shorter chapters thing is driving me crazy, though, but I'm trying to write more in book format than fanfic. I'd love to hear SOMETHING back. I really, truly would appreciate feedback, criticism, etc. I still have a poll in the works on my profile/facebook page... and am trying to figure out a better way to go about it. Anyway! Thank you so much for reading!


	6. Pizza Predicament

They had passed four pizza places before Sasuke finally pulled into one. Ren got off the bike carefully, using Sasuke's shoulders gently for leverage to hop down. "That was so much fun," she mused with a grin on her face without actually thinking about the fact she didn't hate Sasuke at the moment. She pulled the helmet off as soon as Sasuke did and was completely disappointed to see that his hair defied gravity too; it was just like Shikamaru's. She knew that her own hair would not be as kind so she quickly ruffed her ponytail to give it back some volume.

"Yeah, it was," Sasuke said with a very faint smile. Ren placed the helmet on the opposite side of the handlebars as Sasuke's and turned to look at him; she just barely caught a glimpse of his barely-there smile before it vanished completely. She raised an eyebrow as he ran his hand over her fringe on the left side. "Your hair was sticking up," he explained without any real emotion in his voice.

"R-right," she said with a nod. Her eyes darted to the ground and she had to bite her swollen lip to keep from blushing; pain overruled embarrassment any day. While she appreciated him fixing her hair but why did he have to touch her? Touching was something Ren only allowed from a select few people; physical affection was a rare thing for her growing up.

"C'mon," he said as he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her into the pizzeria, not that she gave much resistance at that point.

She wanted to tell him that she could walk on her own and didn't need to be dragged through the parking lot but she bit her tongue. He seemed to be the type of guy who enjoyed being in charge so she would just follow him idly simply because it was easier. _'Maybe I'm the peculiar one when it comes to touch… I guess I don't hate it but why does he think it's okay? Is this normal? Come to think of it everyone except my father has been very affectionate. Am I the weird one here,_ ' the idea bounced around Ren's mind as they made the short trek to the door. The sooner they ate and returned home the better; her stomach was doing weird flip-flops and she didn't like it.

The second they were in the door a plump man with brown hair was practically hovering off the ground in front of them happily. "Oi, Sasuke, welcome back. I see you've got a new date with you this time. That last one was a train wreck," the man told him with a chuckle. Sasuke simply nodded and Ren avoided eye contact with either of them. How could they talk like that with her right there? Why didn't Sasuke correct the man? "Go take your usual table and I'll send Sai out to get your order."

"Thanks, Kentin," Sasuke grunted out as he walked away from the man; he was still holding onto Ren's hand so she was forced to follow at his speed. She felt like a child trying to keep up; the height difference put her arm at an awkward angle and his long legs meant she had to take two steps for his one. He released her hand once they were at a table in the far corner and pulled a chair out. As soon as her hand was free a strange feeling of both relief and coldness washed over her. He didn't sit down in the chair he had pulled out causing Ren to tilt her head in confusion. "Sit down," he growled at her lowly.

She was seated and scooted up to the table so quickly she couldn't even explain what happened; her body had automatically obeyed his harsh command. He had demanded she sit down but no boy had ever pulled out a chair for her except at Hyuga Clan dinners; she didn't count the only time Shikamaru pulled a chair out for her because he had also pulled it out from under her. It was funny to look back at now but at the time she had wanted to cry. Shikamaru had a lot of sucking up to do after that. The fact that Sasuke's actions had been far kinder than his tone left her puzzled. Her heart was beating faster than usual as she tried to get a handle on the situation.

Sasuke sat in front of her and handed her one of the menus from the edge of the table. "What kind of pizza do you like," he asked flatly.

 _'_ _Is he bipolar? One minute he's growling the next he's calm. I don't get it,'_ Ren thought. "Um, I'm not really too picky. I just can't eat mushrooms and don't like pineapple or olives," she replied quietly.

"They have really good taco pizza here if you like that sort of thing," he suggested to her.

She skimmed the menu until she found it. It was basically a taco salad held onto the crust by refried beans. "That sounds amazing," she whispered but Sasuke still heard her. A small smirk formed on the boy's lips and she nearly rolled her eyes at him. _'Does he ever actually smile? He reminds me of Neji in that aspect.'_

A very pale boy, about their age, approached the table. His hair was ink black, even darker than Ren's because hers had some brown tint to it in certain lighting, and his eyes were equally as dark. Ren wondered how he could be so pale while living in a city known for its beaches; he made her feel like she was the tannest person in the world. His pale lips were bowed up into a false smile and his black nametag said 'Sai' in white letters. "Hello, Sasuke," the boy said in a monotone voice.

"Sai," Sasuke replied in a similar tone. Did they not like each other? "I'll take my usual."

"And you, Miss," Sai asked as his inky orbs met her pale ones.

Her heart skipped a beat for some unknown reason. Beneath the table, she twisted her knuckles together to keep from fidgeting in her chair. "I'll take a water with lemon, please," she told him sweetly. It was a relief to her that she hadn't stuttered; she was truly very nervous under his indifferent gaze.

"We'd also like an order of breadsticks and a medium taco pizza," Sasuke told Sai.

The other boy nodded and collected their menus. His hand had brushed Ren's and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. His hands had been quite cold and she noticed a few little cuts on his fingers when she looked at his digits more closely. A blush pooled on her cheeks and she quickly looked at Sasuke; he felt like a safer target to stare at. "I'll bring your drinks out and put your order in," Sai told them before walking off.

"Don't even think about it," Sasuke stated when Sai was out of earshot.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly and her dark brows shot up in confusion. "Th-think a-ab-about wh-wha-what," she asked quietly. Damn her stutter! Why was she so unnerved around Sasuke suddenly? With Sai around, she had spoken clearly but now that he was gone she was going to revert back to her ten-year-old self. A small frown formed on her lips as determination set in; she had been comfortable enough with Sasuke on the back of his motorcycle so now she just needed to find that security again.

"Sai is off limits," he told her flatly.

"O-off l-li-limits f-fo-for wh-what," she asked while tilting her head to the side ever so slightly. She was thoroughly baffled and her stutter seemed to be there to stay for a while, much to her displeasure.

"Dating and stop talking like that. It makes you hard to understand," he told her firmly.

"O-oh," she replied weakly. Her whole face turned red and her eyes darted down to her lap. She hadn't even been thinking about that! His insult wasn't anything she wasn't already telling herself but it lit a fire in her. For some reason, she asked, "Why's th-that?" Internally she sighed once she realized what she had just done. _'Now he's going to think you're actually interested in Sai. Way to go, dumb-dumb.'_ Her emotions had gotten the better of her.

She risked a glance up at Sasuke and thought she saw amusement in his onyx orbs. "He has a girlfriend and you aren't his type," he specified.

Another frown formed on her lips at his insult. How could Sasuke know what kind of a girl she was anyway? The two of them had just met yesterday and it wasn't like they had spent any quality time together before now. Being his step-sister was proving to be tremendously troublesome. As quickly as the frown formed it disappeared and her lips formed a straight line. She stared at Sasuke intently. "It's a good thing I'm here as your date then isn't it," she asked lowly. Inside she was jumping for joy because she hadn't stuttered but her face remained stoic; being a Hyuga had its perks since it meant she was around people who showed little emotion.

The boy in front of her seemed unfazed by her statement and indifference. He simply shrugged and stated, "People will think what they want."

"You didn't correct him," she countered.

"He's going to tell me before we leave how bad you are for me and then when I bring my next girlfriend in he'll bad mouth you in front of her. That's just how this goes."

"Why would he care," she mused. Sasuke's face remained the same but Ren's brows furrowed and she tilted her head slightly to the side. What business would a man who owns a pizza place have with the love life of a teenage customer?

Another shrug from the stoic teen and he replied, "I worked for him last summer. He has a bad habit of treating the teenagers he hires like he's their uncle or something. It was really annoying at first but now I'm used to it."

"I see," was all she could say. An awkward and highly uncomfortable silence fell between them while they had a silent staring match. She couldn't figure out what to say to him now; he didn't seem to be the type that would indulge in small talk so she chose to remain silent. Even if she did make idle chitchat, what would she say? She could ask him about soccer but she really didn't care to hear it. The last thing she wanted was to give him a chance to brag.

Sai returned with her water and a dark brown, bubbly drink for Sasuke. A sigh of relief almost escaped Ren's mouth as her shoulders relaxed; the tension that had formed in her body would make her sore later if she didn't relax. The silence had been suffocating. "Thank you," she told Sai as he sat the water in front of her.

"No problem," he responded with a fake smile. He turned his attention to Sasuke and asked, "Will you be taking the usual pizzas home with you? If so I'll put those orders in once I bring out your pizza."

"That depends on her," Sasuke said before glancing at Ren, "Do you think you can balance two pizza boxes from the back of my bike?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. It wasn't like she was incompetent; it would be difficult but she could manage. "Of course. What kind of girl do you take me for," she asked bitterly. She just couldn't help it; he was doubting her balance and she was tired of being looked down on. It wasn't his fault that she felt that way but he was the one right in front of her at that moment.

Sasuke seemed to ignore her tone because his attention went back to Sai. "I guess so then," he stated.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So... I'm not 100% sure of pairings... And I kind of want some opinions... I'm (mildly) torn between two (I'll leave them unnamed) guys for Ren... but there will be more characters showing up once school starts up... So there will be even more options. At one point I was even considering Shino... but I have a better plan for him. Most of the other pairs are worked out but can be tweaked depending on Ren... So... dear, sweet, lovely readers... Who would you like Ren to be with? I do request that it's not Suigetsu though... I have a lot of hilarious moments planned for Ren because of him that just won't work out if she's actually interested in him. Thank you so much for giving me your time to read my story and I truly hope you're enjoying it. I don't know if I've said it before... but this whole thing started out as a dream I had... So I'm not very confident in it yet despite my love for it myself. Blessed be my friends.

 **(8/23/16):** Again, I'm just going through and answering reviews in the chapters instead of just private messages.  
 **Previous Chapter Reviews-**

 _ ***** Mystique101 chapter 5 . Jun 30_

Wait! I have a question; did Ren and Shikamaru actually have sex with each other? I'm so confused

 _My Response:_

I'm really sorry that I confused you! Yes. They did. Gomenasai, I'll try to make it less confusing. Thank your for your review and again, I'm sorry. I was trying to leave most of it up to the imagination.

 ***** _MajorCartooniac chapter 5 . Feb 15_

Hello! This is a great story and I would love the honor of being the first review-er. :) At first the family connections were a bit confusing but this chapter helped sort it out. I'm also kinda confused with Shikamaru/Ren s relationship. They're good friends... Like, super uper duper good friends. The only way I can describe the relationship is the line between friendship and love. Anyways, I love the characters and do I sense some SasuRen? ;) I am curious to the ships in this. And... I kinda want to see Shikamaru interactive with the 'group'. That would be a really, really, REALLY interesting chapter. XD Just imagining it.. What fun that would be.

Anyways, this is a really fun (and original, you get a bunch of brownie points for that) story that I have high hopes for. :) Have fun writing it!

"See" you next time,

-MajorCartooniac

 _My Response:_

Thank you so much for the review! It really made my day and to be told that your story is original is the -best- feeling/compliment you can ever give a writer. As for the ships... those are still in the works and I would love to know who you (and everyone else) feel she would be best with. I have most of the story plotted out in several different directions and I'm having a difficult time figuring out which feels right.  
Shikamaru and Ren's relationship is based on a friendship I had when I was a teenager. My mom didn't die but I suffered a great loss and this friend was there for me. We made dumb choices but were always there for each other. I've not decided if it's going to become a real love... or just the love my friend and I share. We weren't meant to be together but it's possible that I won't feel that way about Shikamaru... he is one of my favorite characters after all.

As for the SasuRen... I have no idea where that's going (If it's even going at all?). It's a possibility but Sasuke is such a cliche pick... and he's so cold at times that I don't know Ren would be able to take it. She's more fragile than Sakura when it comes to her heart... she wouldn't wait around on him for like 10 years... and Sasuke would mess up a lot... with that being said... SasuRen would be cute and if I were writing in the cannon world I would possibly push more in that direction because of the whole 'ultimate kekkei genkai' potential but I'm just not so sure here. (there was more shared here but I'm going to leave that secret)


	7. Brother Blues

Suigetsu's face was red with anger as soon as Ren entered the kitchen with a smile on her lips. She just couldn't hide her excitement; riding on a motorcycle brought out a kind of happiness she couldn't describe. It had been slightly difficult to hold onto Sasuke and the pizza boxes, her arms ached because of it, but she had done it. She wasn't positive but she thought she saw a look of admiration pass briefly across Sasuke's face before she had her helmet off completely. "Where the hell have you been," Suigetsu asked bitterly as he stared Ren up and down.

The smile she had been sporting from the motorcycle ride vanished into a tight line. _'Is he suddenly my dad or boyfriend?'_ The Hyuga internally shook away the thought and bit her swollen bottom lip. He had no reason to worry about her; she was a big girl and even if she hadn't been with Sasuke, she felt like she would've been fine. "I went to get pizza with Sasuke," she told him gently despite the irritation bubbling in her heart. He didn't really need to know where she was but she would play his game for now; upsetting her stepbrother, either one, wasn't something she planned to do if she could help it. "We brought two back," she said as she motioned to the pizza boxes Sasuke as holding; he was standing on her right looking completely bored.

Suigetsu's gaze went straight to Sasuke and he took a step towards Sasuke with his fists clenched at his side. "What is your deal?! Are you trying to take Ren away from me," he shouted out. His attention quickly turned to Ren and he gasped out, "Did he try to seduce you?!"

"Tch," Sasuke muttered as he shoved the boxes into Suigetsu's hands. The white-haired boy could only blink in shock as he clutched the boxes. Ren had no idea what was going through either guys' head during that moment of stillness. "It's really none of your business what either of us do," Sasuke murmured as he walked past Suigetsu. A silent thanks echoed through Ren's head; he had said what she wanted to but couldn't bring herself to.

The pizza boxes were on the counter in two seconds flat then Suigetsu turned on his heels to stare at Sasuke's retreating back. "What'd you say," he asked aggressively. He raised a clenched fist to threaten Sasuke.

Ren didn't know what to do so she stood there gaping like a fish; was she truly going to be a reason for Suigetsu and Sasuke to fight? Honestly she hadn't been too worried before Sasuke handed over the pizzas, but now that he'd opened his mouth to correct Suigetsu… who knew? She truly hoped not. She clenched her fingers into a fist so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white and a cold sweat formed on her brow. She didn't want to cause anyone trouble, especially not her step-brothers!

"You heard me," Sasuke responded but didn't stop walking.

Suigetsu growled low in his throat and went to grab Sasuke but TenTen, who must have been on her way to the kitchen anyway, grappled his arms behind his back so that he couldn't move. "Enough, Suigetsu," TenTen warned.

Ren wasn't sure how she felt; she had just frozen up in the situation. The two of them were fighting because of her; contrary to what Ino and Sakura seemed to think it wasn't any fun being in the middle of a testosterone battle. A part of her wanted to feel flattered that Suigetsu cared so much that he wouldn't want Sasuke to taint her but that little piece of her was overridden by the parts that knew full well she didn't need his protection. Had Suigetsu been Shikamaru she would have thanked him for his concern, possibly even reveled in it, but he was not Shikamaru and she found him creepy at times. No, the way he acted was on a completely different level than Shikamaru; the lazy genius was her friend and they helped each other… Suigetsu just thought she was attractive.

She was very sure neither boy was her cup of tea so she wanted to clarify that right away; the question was, how? "I'm sorry for upsetting you, Suigetsu," she told him gently as he struggled in TenTen's hold; she truly was too but she knew he would bounce back. As for how to clarify to Suigetsu that she wasn't interested in Sasuke without him thinking she was interested in him, the Hyuga was drawing a blank. _'I'll figure that out later,'_ she promised herself, _'This is really troublesome!'_

TenTen released Suigetsu soon after Ren had apologized; he had gone limp in his older sister's hold. "Hey, don't worry. You didn't upset me at all. It's just Sasuke who pissed me off. He's always taking what's mine," Suigetsu said while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

TenTen opened her mouth to lecture him but Ren beat her to it; something in the Hyuga snapped and triggered a full-blown mood swing. "I don't belong to either of you," Ren stated flatly. "I'm your sister," she told him with a slight sneer. The composure she had been working so hard to regain after Suigetsu's initial outburst crumbled away like the ash of a cigarette. Her arms crossed in front of her chest and she realized a moment too late that she was narrowing her eyes.

The small smile that had formed on Suigetsu's lips faded but she didn't let that affect her, she couldn't, instead she walked around both of her step-siblings and disappeared down the hall with her head held high. _'That was a lot harsher than I meant for it to be,'_ she whimpered to herself within the safety of her mind. The girl tuned out TenTen scolding Suigetsu and the whines he gave in protest. She was almost to her shared bedroom when a bolt of blue latched onto her leg. She looked down to see Konohamaru grinning widely up at her. Her heart melted into a puddle of goo and she couldn't help but return his grin with a small smile; the stuff going on with Suigetsu and Sasuke suddenly didn't matter; she would brood and scold herself later. "Hey there, otouto," she cooed as she ruffled his hair.

"Ren-nee! You promised to play soccer with me. Did you remember," he asked. His coal colored eyes were so filled with hope and worry that it took everything she had not to scoop him up into her arms and promise him the world; this boy was going to be a lady killer. A tinge of guilt fluttered through Ren's heart because she had forgotten. She could rationalize that there was so much going on that it was natural to forget, but what kind of sister forgets promises to her little brother? The whole situation felt odd. A week ago she was an only child; now her life had a totally different family that included four siblings.

She gave a quick nod, pushing all other thoughts away; she had a promise to fulfill. As long as it was in her power she vowed internally to never break a promise to Konohamaru. She tilted her head slightly while asking, "Have you ate yet?"

"Yep! Suigetsu took me to that fast food place with the big "M" on the sign," Konohamaru stated as he released his hold on her. "Can we go play now?"

"Of course. Do you have a soccer ball? We'll need one," she told him gently while suppressing the desire to go yell at Suigetsu for feeding Konohamaru such unhealthy food; it was barely even able to be called food. The look on Konohamaru's face, the delight illuminated within his eyes, and the toothy grin on his face melted away all anger she was feeling. If she ever had children she hoped they would be as sweet and innocent as her half-brother seemed to be.

"Yeah! C'mon! It's in my room," he informed her. He grabbed her hand and led her into his room. TenTen hadn't been kidding; his room was truly a disaster zone. "It's around here somewhere," he promised shyly as he ran about his room moving toy after toy in search of the black and white ball. It was going to take an eternity. With a quiet sigh Ren cautiously stepped deeper into the room and began picking up toys; they may or may not play soccer that evening but Ren wasn't going to search through the toys like Konohamaru was. Toys had a place and she knew they would have far more luck if they weren't just being moved from one place to another.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** This took me longer than I had intended for it to... but life is crazy. I'm sure you guys see mini-conflicts coming in... but things are only going to get crazier. We've got less than a week until Monday (first day at a new school). A lot will be in store for Ren. We'll be meeting new boys and new friends. it's a bumpy ride for our little Ren, so hang tight! I'm working on finishing up the next chapter (rereading, making changes, etc) slowly but surely. I've heard two opinions on who Ren should be paired with. i'd love to hear more of your opinions. Thank you so much to **MajorCartooniac** and **Aschubel** for reviewing!

 **(8/23/16):**

 **Previous Chapter Reviews** :

 ***** _Aschubel chapter 6 . Feb 27_

I ak torn between Sasuke and Shikamaru. But i think Shikamaru's better off as her bestfriend even though they already did the do. They're still comfortable with each other like how bestfriends are. I think Ren will be better for Sasuke, she can make him show emotions, even if it's just a lil.

Sai has a gurlfriend? Is it Ino? Omg. If yes, why didn't Ino tell her? xD and will Ino tell her? Or will it be Sasuje who'll tell her and she'll be like, "Ino? My friend back home, Ino?" Lmao.

P.S. It's cute that Ren blush and stutter so fast then can easily switch to calm/collected mode when necessary.

I'll be waiting for the next update! o()o

 _My Response:_ I agree that Shikamaru and Ren are great as best friends and Sasuke is whatever he is. I had one reader point out that they are in a brother-sister relationship but I'm not one to ever let that stop me (because they aren't blood/that closely related)! xD I don't know for sure who she'll be with.

I can promise that Sai is not with Ino. I'm sorry to disappoint! We will be meeting his girlfriend after school starts for Ren.

And as for Ren's quick mood changes... I'm glad that you find them cute. I have anxiety and bipolar disorder... and because Ren is a lot like me she has those tendencies. I can go from being extremely anxious to stone cold. It's hard for most people to understand so you finding it cute is a small relief. I'm always worried about how people will perceive that aspect of her.

 ***** _MajorCartooniac chapter 6 . Feb 16_

That... was kinda awkward. So's (so-is) the fact that... Sasuke gets a new girlfriend every month? (*breaks out into song* "Who do you think you are, runnin' round leavin' scars, colectin' your jar of hearts," -Jar of Hearts, Christina Perri) Kentin doesn't like all of them? Heh, imagine his reaction when Sasuke's 'girlfriend' turns out to be his sister. XD Wait. *re-reads* Wait. *narrows eyes and re-reads again.* WAIT. WAS SASUKE BEING PROTECTIVE WHEN HE SAID SAI WAS OFF LIMITS? *GASP* I don't know for sure but I think so! THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE!

Okay, now I seriously CANNOT WAIT for the next chapter! Please update soon!

"See" you next time,

-MajorCartooniac

 _My Response:_ It was really awkward... which is going to become quite a theme for Ren xD and Sasuke's girlfriend situation will make even less sense as time goes on. I've kinda based Kentin off one of my family members who wholeheartedly believes that no one is good enough for her Ren-chan... plus... dunno if you've noticed... I've kinda really made Sasuke this disinterested person... I imagine when he's on a date with anybody... he'd be on his phone toning them out and wishing that he could be anywhere else. Sasu-kun is waiting for a special person to show up who will interest him ;) Kentin will be in for quite a shock, as will Saiiiiiiii... Anywho. As for Sasuke being protective instead of just being a butthead... we'll see if that's how it goes xD I'll warn you now... I'm not fast at publishing chapters because I have a very chaotic life. If I hadn't had a backlog of chapters (I seriously thought they'd last me longer than they have) then I do not think this story would've made it off the runway. I'm working on chapter... Ten I think... and one or two of the chapters between now and then are on the shorter side because there's just not much going on in them. I will have the next chapter posted in about... two weeks I think. I know that's a long wait but I'm trying to give myself time to get things going well on my end.

Also, again, thank you so much for your review! I swear you put so much energy/excitement into them that I absorb it and I walk around with more ideas floating about in my head in ten minutes than I did for the past 8 months. It's crazy and I absolutely love it. I'm getting my swing back... and when I do... Chapters of this, and a few other stories, will be coming out like there's no tomorrow. So thank you for helping me bring back my imaginary friends. I felt like they were mad at me for almost a year lol


	8. Sharing Is Caring

Ren had kept herself up all night worrying about the repercussions of her attitude towards Suigetsu. Things had been fine while she was playing with Konohamaru but as soon as she laid her head down it all came flooding back. The morning routine the family went through, which she was adjusting to, flew by in a blur and before she even realized it everyone was home from school.

"This has _got_ to stop," TenTen groaned as she flopped down on her bed, disrupting Ren from her silent brooding, "Suigetsu has been acting weirder than usual and you haven't left the room the whole time we've been home. Sasuke's the only one acting normal. You guys are even freaking out Konohamaru."

"I'm sorry," Ren responded mechanically; she truly was but she was so tired that she couldn't put any emotion behind it. She had tried napping throughout the day to no avail; her mind just wouldn't allow it.

"Mom and dad aren't going to be home again until late so I guess it's up to me to fix this," TenTen thought aloud as she rubbed her slender digits down her sun-kissed face. "I sent Konohamaru to a friend's house so it's just us teens here right now."

"Do Jia and Hideki work late all the time," Ren pondered, purposely ignoring TenTen's desire to fix what was clearly broken in the older girl's eyes.

"Yeah, usually. They're great parents but with all of us getting older they seem to have forgotten we still need them around. I'm not even sure why they think we need so much money; we aren't struggling financially."

"Maybe they just want to excel in their jobs and make sure you're all taken care of when they're gone," Ren responded. Her mother had worked late often for the same reason but she never missed any of Ren's big events. She was at every soccer game, reward ceremony, and always made time to help Ren with homework or school fundraisers. In a way Ren knew she was spoiled compared to other kids by how much her mother did for her. A pang of guilt shook through Ren's body; she had taken all that for granted.

"I'm sure they are. It's alright, we've got each other and it works for us. Anyway," TenTen said as she sat up and stared at her unkempt sister, "Get cleaned up and meet me in the living room. We've got work to do."

Ren couldn't argue as she watched TenTen leave the room, shutting the door behind her. With a sigh, the Hyuga forced herself off the bed and pulled out fresh clothes. Her despair had left her in her pajamas the whole day so she _did_ need to change if she was going to have to see her step-brothers.

TenTen hadn't specified exactly how long the Hyuga had to get ready so she decided to shower first. It was already seven in the evening and it wasn't until Ren was standing under the hot water of the shower, rinsing conditioner out of her raven locks that she realized she hadn't eaten a thing the whole day. Her stomach growled the whole time she got ready but she ignored it; having allowed such harshness to slip out of her lips deserved a punishment far more severer than an empty stomach.

The living room furniture was arranged in an awkward circle when Ren stepped into the room. The only seat in it that remained in its original position was the couch; she assumed that was because it would've been the heaviest piece of furniture to move. "There you are," TenTen said with a smile from her place seated upon one of the armchairs, "I've got some takeout in the kitchen for you. I'll go get Suigetsu and Sasuke."

Ren nodded and muttered, "Okay. Thank you," then made her way into the kitchen. She located her name wrote on two takeout boxes, still steaming hot. One contained Crab Rangoon, Ren's absolute favorite thing from Chinese restaurants, and the other had broccoli and beef, another of Ren's simple pleasures. A small smile formed on her lips. TenTen really went out of her way for her step-sister; she would have to repay that kindness tenfold.

In the living room, the sound of a grumbling teenage boy was loud enough to be heard in the kitchen. Ren quickly grabbed the lone pair of chopsticks on the counter and her two boxes then headed to the living room.

"Why are you making us do this," Suigetsu whined as he glared at TenTen.

"I don't see why I'm here for this. They're the ones with the problem," Sasuke stated as he messed around on his cellphone; it really was never far from his side and it seemed like he was glued to it except when he was doing things _he_ wanted to do. Ren took the opportunity to quietly slip down into the only free armchair in the circle.

"Because we all have things we need to get off our chests," TenTen exclaimed while throwing her arms into the air dramatically, "This is going to get all that negativity out in the open so we can be a big, happy family for Konohamaru!"

Ren's stomach knotted and the bite she had just taken of her food threatened to halt half-way down. This was going to be one of those sharing circles like they made you do at summer camp or in AA meetings (Ren had only heard about those and seen them on TV, but still). Without actually groaning or showing it on her face, the Hyuga screamed on the inside. She always hated these kinds of things and knew exactly how _well_ they really went.

"Who wants to go first," TenTen asked after the boys finished mumbling under their breaths about how ridiculous she was being.

"This is a complete waste of time," Suigetsu stated with his arms crossed. He sunk deeper into his place on the couch and crossed his arms defensively over his chest.

"You're going to have to share, Suigetsu, or this isn't going to work," TenTen explained in vain.

"I have nothing to say," Sasuke snapped out without looking up from his phone.

"Fine, I'll go first," TenTen grumbled out while glaring at the two boys. Ren wasn't sure why she wasn't part of that hateful stare but she was relieved that she wasn't; if looks could kill both boys would have stopped breathing.

"Sasuke you are rude, selfish, and a complete asshole. I can't stand the way you think you're better than everyone else. Your shit stinks just like everyone else's, y'know! You seem to think you're God's gift to the world when the truth is you sometimes make it unbearable. I can't stand the mean side both you and Suigetsu bring out in me. You're toxic, Sasuke.

"And you, Suigetsu, really need to stop this flirty crap. I can't even tell if you're kidding around or not! I thought you were at first but now I just don't get it. Ren's pretty, even I see that," TenTen continued her rant. Ren's cheeks dusted pink at the compliment and she had to look away as her step-sister continued on, "but you can't just go after a person for looks alone. I wish you would get to know people on the inside before you start hitting on someone. That's why all of your ex-girlfriends are crazy, mean, or just plain nasty. I love you both but you really need to cut the crap.

"Ren, I can honestly say I love you too but you gotta open up and talk about what's bothering you. I'll listen and always have your back, I promise. I do have one complaint about you but it's minor compared to the idiots. Do you have to take so long to make your bed in the morning? It's not like you aren't going to mess it up later anyway."

Ren's cheeks darkened further and she stared down at her lap. This was really embarrassing. Suigetsu had clamped his mouth shut as soon as TenTen got to him and Sasuke hadn't even looked up from his phone; wasn't he listening to a word TenTen was saying? The Hyuga felt like her heart was racing a mile a minute as she spared a quick glance towards her brooding step-brother.

Their eyes met and she quickly looked away; that split second had been enough for her to see a little piece of him she wished she hadn't. It felt like he was looking at her with so much disdain that she should have spontaneously combusted right then and there. Sasuke hated her, blamed her for this stupid circle, and she had the sinking suspicion that he had only been nice to her thus far because he felt obligated to. A bizarre pain shot her in the heart but she couldn't explain why.

His cold look chilled every bone in her body. Ren's heart dropped into her stomach the more she thought about it and she was forced to put her food on the coffee table, unable to continue eating. She didn't want anyone being nice to her because they had to be. The Hyuga took a shaky breath and spoke, "I'll go next," she practically whispered.

Another cleansing breath was required and she took the time to sit up a little straighter. "I don't want to be here," she admitted without looking at anyone; her focus was on the coffee table. "I want to be at home with my friends and my mom. I want to go back to not knowing anything at all about my dad other than his name," her voice was growing shaky, "I want to argue with my mom over which college I want to go to. I want to tell her about my day. I want to spend time with my best friend face to face. I don't want to have this heavy feeling hovering over me a-," her voice cracked but she didn't allow the tears building in her eyes to fall. She finished her sentence after clearing her throat, "All the time."

"I appreciate you caring, Suigetsu," she practically whispered as she finally looked up to Suigetsu. Their eyes met and it was like her heart was put in a vise, "but I am your step-sister. I'm stuck here with you until I'm 18 and can go back home. I don't want to be more than friends with anybody if I can help it. I know sometimes love strikes when you expect it least but it's just not there. I'm so sorry that I hurt your feelings last night, that wasn't my intent, but you can be overbearing sometimes." Suigetsu's shoulders dropped and he clinched his fists on his lap but made no interruptions.

"Sasuke," She turned her attention to the other male, "I want to thank you for including me in a few of your plans even though you didn't have to. I won't ask or expect you to continue such behavior," her voice had become more robotic when she was addressing him. If her words bothered him she couldn't tell; his face did not betray his uncaring attitude.

"TenTen. I think you're amazing. You care a whole lot and I honestly don't think I would have survived this move were it not for you. I appreciate everything you've done for me to make me feel welcome. It's really helped me get to where I am right now, even if I do need to continue working through a lot of stuff. I know you're there if I need anything and that's more than I ever could have hoped for. I don't want this to be my life but I'm glad I get to be your sister and call you my friend." After a moment's pause she threw in, "I'm sorry I take so long to make my bed. Everything always had to be perfect at home."

Ren's words were quivering off and on the whole time and her whole body shook as she spoke; her emotions were threatening to bubble to the surface more than they already had. Sasuke's glare had been like a knife to her barely functioning heart and she had to blink back tears a few times.

TenTen stood up from her chair and motioned for Ren to scoot over. The two girls shared a chair as TenTen hugged Ren and raked her fingers gently through the Hyuga's damp hair. The boys both sat in silence and everyone waited until Ren had collected herself and whispered, "Thank you," to TenTen before moving on.

Sasuke grunted and rolled his eyes. He propped his chin on the palm of his hand while allowing himself to sink into a bored facial expression. Ren was beginning to see exactly how fake most of what Sasuke did was. It didn't make her feel any better.

Suigetsu was insulted and it clearly showed by the way his face twisted into one of confusion and anger. "Neither of you know what you're talking about. I was just messing around. I'm sorry that it was taken so seriously," he grunted out as he stood up and walked away. Ren's heart clinched in a strange way; she was starting to get used to it. If he was kidding, why was he so upset? What kind of enjoyment could he possibly get out of it? She would have to take his word for it but she suddenly felt toyed with.

No one tried to stop him and Sasuke soon followed in his footsteps without a word. "I don't think either one of them took a damn thing away from this circle," TenTen sighed out.

"I don't think they did either. We were the only ones that shared," Ren agreed with a frown on her face. "I'm really sorry for causing so many problems for everyone. If I could go back in time and change stuff I would. I feel like everyone's lives would be easier and better that way."

"Hey! Don't say stuff like that! I like having you here. I like not being the only girl. Mom's not here enough to lessen any of the testosterone and I think it's really good for Konohamaru too. Sasuke's too big of a prick to teach him soccer but you're patient and bonding with him. Suigetsu's too busy worrying about girls to even notice Konohamaru most times. It's good for him. Honestly it's good for all of us, even Sasuke."

"Why do you think it's good for Sasuke," Ren questioned with her eyebrows furrowed. Nothing in the Hyuga's mind could process how she was helping Sasuke.

"He's actually smiled a few times since you moved in and he actually broke up with Karin because of how she treated you," TenTen stated with a smile, "We've all been trying to get him to do that since he first started dating her. Despite how he acts, I think he actually likes hanging out with you. Don't give up, okay? Things will get better and we'll all get through this!"

"Thank you." Ren's thin lips bowed up into a small smile and she hugged TenTen firmly. She wasn't sure she agreed that she was making a difference in Sasuke's life but it warmed her heart in a strange way nonetheless. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Oh, I know," TenTen said with a laugh, "But keep reminding me anyway!"

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So I posted this chapter earlier than I had planned but I just couldn't help it. I've changed it four times now and if I keep it any longer we're bound to change a fifth time! I'm driving myself crazy with it. This chapter wasn't originally in the story... so he's a fresh one! I felt like before I moved on to one of the major conflicts that are going to show up (you'll understand why I call it that later on in the story) I needed to have the argument between Ren and Suigetsu sorted out... mostly... kind of. I don't feel like it actually resolved anything but it did give you a deeper look into the ladies' minds. I'd like to thank **MajorCartooniac** and **fangirlneeds** for reviewing last chapter. Thanks so much! I hope to hear what you guys have thought of this one! The next one will be coming soon!

 **(8/23/16):**

 **Previous Chapter Reviews:**

 ***** _fangirlneeds chapter 7 . Mar 2_

I absolutely adore this story! I can't believe you only have 4 reviews! This is gold! I love that she's super strong and stand up for herself! And i love the way you progress with the story! Thank you !

 _My Response:_ Thank you so much for your review! It really made me smile. I'm glad that you're enjoying it and love how she is. I am glad that you're happy with the progression because I am trying new styles with each fanfic i do. So far this way works best for me. There's no need to thank me. I'm working on the next chapter (i ended up deciding to add one between 7 and the one i had planned for 8) so I'm hoping to be updating it soon.

 ***** _MajorCartooniac chapter 7 . Mar 2_

0.0 *blinks* Wow. Tension~ Suigetsu fighting for Ren? Does he REALLY and HONESTLY mean it? If he did... it would be a disaster. Ren would have to keep Ten-Ten by her side 24/7. I hope that they'll work this out soon, I've kinda been craving action since Ren's fight with Sasuke's ex. XD Konohamaru always makes things better, (either embarrassing/doubting Naruto) or just being there in general. :) I'm excited fo rthe next chapter!

"See" you next time,

-MajorCartooniac

 _My Response:_ I don't even know if Suigetsu is serious or not! XD It's kinda up in the air for right now. I'm sure you're going to enjoy next chapter. It'll "resolve" the whole mess. I love Konohamaru for that very purpose. He's a really adorable kid and I love him to pieces. Would you believe that at first I wasn't going to have him in it? I feel like adding him was probably the BEST move I made. Comedic relief as well as the opportunity to explain things more thoroughly come in handy for sure. He and Shikamaru are my go-tos for explanations.


	9. Merry Meet!

Friday morning, Ren had woken up a little late only to find Suigetsu was in one bathroom taking a long time to complete his shower and Sasuke was in the other styling his hair, shaving, or whatever he did behind closed doors; she was sure they both had done it on purpose to get back at her for the sharing circle the night before. Ren had needed to pee so badly that TenTen sneaked her into Hideki and Jia's room so that she could use their bathroom; it had put the children's bathrooms to shame simply with its size alone.

Konohamaru promised to wake Ren up right after his shower (Jia always had him up before everyone else because he tended to take the longest to get ready) on Monday morning so she could bathe before Suigetsu or Sasuke could take over the bathrooms. Ren was thankful to her younger brother for the offer and promised herself she wouldn't let his kindness be without reward; the same promise she made to herself about TenTen. That was what had led her to searching online for the new action figure he wanted; it was hard to find in stores because _Boruto_ was a very popular anime in the world at the moment. He was searching for Boruto: a hyperactive kid who was developing, slowly but surely, into a fine ninja that would save the world. Konohamaru idolized the weird kid with whisker markings on his face.

Ren personally didn't see the appeal; she tended to like the crazy avenger, Ryukata, the fate-defying, Izo, from a clan that branded members born 'lesser', or the lazy genius, Yorimaru. She wasn't very far into the anime herself so she couldn't be sure who her favorite character would really turn out to be. Even with Boruto not being her own personal preference, she was searching every toy store's website she could think of to find that particular action figure: the one that said twelve different phrases and came with a large shuriken that fit in the figure's hand. It would be a pretty cool thing, even the Hyuga could admit that, but it was turning out to be so troublesome to try and find it. The only place she located it wanted 25% more for it than everywhere else. That wouldn't be too big of a deal but the funds she had saved up needed to last until her uncle Hiashi so kindly allowed her access to her mother's insurance money; guilt and grief raked through her heart and shook through her whole body. Her mother's life had been worth more money than even the Hyuga could offer her. Maybe she needed to find a job or something; using money gained from losing her mother would cause an internal battle. Whatever she did to repay TenTen's kindness, which she was still trying to figure out, couldn't be a material object at the rate Ren was going. Her thoughts were all over the place as she scrolled through page after page.

 ** _New Message from Cloudgazer_** appeared in the bottom right corner of her screen. She blinked and looked at the time; it had really gotten away from her! It was Friday and this would be her last day home alone. She was really going to miss that freedom when she started school on Monday; naturally she had gotten so engrossed in her search that she wasted it. She bit her lip in frustration and opened the message quickly.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _Hey there troublesome woman. I just tried calling you but you didn't answer. What are you doing?_

Ren blinked and quickly grabbed her phone out from under her bottom; apparently her buttocks were able to muffle the sound. She had three missed calls from Shikamaru. It wasn't like him to call her more than once; two times in a row was a big stretch for the lazy boy. She bit her bottom lip harder, thankful that the swelling was gone but now dreading the amount of force it took for her to cause enough pain to think clearly. _'What could possibly have him worked up enough to call me that many times,'_ she asked herself.

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _I know you've seen this message…_

She had seen it and felt horrible for not responding right away. Quickly she typed out her reply, barely taking time to check for spelling errors before hitting send.

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I'm sorry Shikamaru. I was busy looking for a toy online for my little brother. He's the sweetest thing ever and I want to spoil him. What's up?_

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _My mom and dad want to talk to you. Apparently there's a rumor going around now that you're pregnant and that's why you moved away. It's such a drag. I keep telling everyone that you moved away for other reasons but they don't listen. Mom's gonna have a heart attack if we don't nip this in the bud._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _People think I'm pregnant?!_

Her uncles were going to murder her; she was slandering their good name even though she wasn't even in the same country as them. "This is not good," Ren mumbled to herself as she raked her fingers through her long hair roughly. She would now have to get a job if she wanted to have any money at all. Hiashi would be very strict about it and she knew she should be expecting a call from him within the next few days. "What if he calls Hideki," she groaned. "You can't focus on this now. Just talk to Shikamaru," she reminded herself out loud then paused and sighed out, "I really do talk to myself a lot…"

 ** _Cloudgazer:_** _You know how these idiots are. They'll smear everyone they get the chance to. The facts don't matter as long as the person isn't there to defend themselves._

 ** _Troublesome Misfit:_** _I can't believe them… are you going to call me again?_

There wasn't a response typed out before her phone rung. The second that _Peacock_ by _Katy Perry_ started playing her whole body stiffened; her mother always complained about that ringtone. She made a mental note to change it and slid her finger across the screen to unlock it then clicked the answer button. "Hello?" Her mother would be so disappointed in her right now; that was despair she didn't have time to brood over.

"Hey, Ren. Mom and Dad are right here. I've got you on speaker," Shikamaru said lazily.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Nara. How are you doing today," she asked in the calmest voice she could manage. If they seriously thought she was pregnant the two of them needed to work on their sense of time; Shikamaru had taken her virginity right before she left. No way could Ren know she was pregnant after less than a week. She wasn't pregnant. _'Oh god, now I'm getting paranoid,'_ she wailed to herself.

"Hello Ren," Shikaku's voice rang into her ear. It was like he was right on top of Shikamaru's phone. The man was a genius but when it came to technology he was like every other parent her friends had; clueless about how to use speakerphone properly. "I really hate to ask you this but did my lazy son get you pregnant."

Ren's whole face turned cherry red. It was one thing to know people thought stuff about you and to hear about it through words on a screen but to actually hear those words was far different; it made the situation far too real. She had no idea what she was going to do other than be honest and as calm as possible.

A feminine gasp was audible in the background followed by Yoshino quietly lecturing her husband. "You can't ask that so suddenly! You were supposed to work into it! Now she's going to think you're insensitive!"

"Ma, she can hear you," Shikamaru grumbled.

Shikaku wasn't one to beat around the bush, much to his wife's displeasure. On a normal day it would've made Ren laugh and admire him even more; she really did love Shikamaru's parents. They were different but perfect for each other. It was like they were two pieces of a puzzle; both shaped different but they fit together so flawlessly that you got a picture of what love should be. Their marriage, as bizarre as it was, was what Ren based her hopes and dreams for her own love life on when she was old enough to want to have a family of her own.

"I am not pregnant," Ren stated firmly. She really didn't want to listen to their dysfunction at that moment and she couldn't afford to stumble through her words. Shikaku was incredibly perceptive and if he sensed even a hint of doubt he would be like a shark smelling blood in the water.

"Are you sure," Yoshino asked. She had clearly moved closer to the phone, "If you are, we aren't upset! We just want to make sure the baby gets all the care it needs."

Ren's hand automatically went to her stomach as if to protect something that wasn't even there. "M-Mrs. N-N-Nara. I-I a-assure you th-that y-yo-your s-so-son a-and I u-u-used c-co-con-cond-condoms!" By the time Ren had gotten to the last bit she was so frustrated with the implications as well as her intolerable stuttering that she had shouted it. On the inside she was cursing herself for not remaining calm like she had planned.

A cough came from behind her and her eyes opened wide like a deer caught in headlights; someone had come home and she didn't even hear the door to mentally prepare. She felt all color drain from her already pale face and her blood suddenly felt like barely flowing ice. _"Oh no,"_ she whimpered internally as she turned, _"Please don't be Hideki,"_ she pleaded.

Standing in the doorway was her second-worst nightmare: Sasuke. Beside him was a blond boy with piercing blue eyes that was a little shorter than his gloomy host. The blonde's mouth was wide open in shock but Sasuke's face kept his emotionless mask. Her whole face was slowly regaining color and becoming red.

The Nara's had been having an argument while Ren looked at her stepbrother in horror. "I keep telling you guys! Even if she was pregnant she wouldn't even know yet. We weren't stupid and were trying to be mature about it! We took precautions," Shikamaru shouted. The situation had him just as frazzled as she was, judging by the tone of his voice. He never put much effort into anything unless he really believed it was worth it; for him to be yelling the circumstances were serious.

Ren knew full well Sasuke and his friend had just heard that. _'Please let the ground swallow me whole, please let the ground swallow me whole,'_ she beseeched any divine power listening. Her whole face, neck, and ears were as red as a strawberry and she was on the verge fainting. "Mr. and Mrs. Nara," Ren stated weakly but it was still enough to gain silence from the other end of the call, "I would love to continue this conversation," she lied and they knew it, "but I have to take care of something now. I'll talk to you guys later and I'm sorry for any issues the rumors going around have caused you both. Goodnight." She didn't wait for a reply; she just clicked the end button and let her phone fall into her lap. "That wasn't what it sounded like," Ren practically begged Sasuke.

"Not my business," Sasuke stated, "I was just going to see if you wanted anything when I order takeout from Ichiraku, a couple blocks over."

Ren really didn't feel like eating, not after all this; that made two days in a row without much appetite. She rubbed her cold fingers against her burning cheeks trying to calm herself down. She was going to have nightmares about this situation for years to come. "They make the best miso ramen with extra char siu," the boy beside Sasuke exclaimed.

Her whole body froze; she had been so caught up with Sasuke hearing the butt end of her conversation with the Naras that she had forgotten the blond she had never met. _"Great first impression, idiot,"_ she scolded herself. "That sounds good," she stated quietly even though her heart wasn't in it. She pushed her body back against the wall her bed was against and stared at the duo in the doorway.

"Hn," Sasuke replied as he disappeared from the doorway. Ren almost breathed a breath of relief but then he popped his head back in and told her, "If Hideki's gonna be a grandpa he should hear it sooner rather than later."

She tried to tell him "I'm not pregnant" but instead she just kept opening and closing her mouth like a fish; the only sound that came out was the clicking of her lip rings clanging against her teeth. She had no idea what to do now; Sasuke would surely use this against her. " _There is no baby to use though! Ugh this is a train wreck."_

The blond should have followed Sasuke, right? So why was he still standing there watching Ren like she was a plant sample under a microscope? It wasn't like she wasn't embarrassed enough without him gawking at her! He stepped into the room and extended his right hand. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki, I'm Sasuke's best friend, and I'm going to be Kazekage someday," the boy, Naruto, announced enthusiastically. Kazekage was the title for the president of all of Kaze no Kuni; it would be a task to make it to that position.

Ren grasped his hand gently and told him, "Ren Hyuga and I don't have any goals as big as that."

Naruto chuckled and asked, "Mind if I sit with ya? The teme is being a real jerk today. I have no idea what's gotten into him but he's glaring at everyone more than usual. It's a good thing he's got such an awesome friend like me or he'd be lonely forever, believe it."

Ren forced a fake smile, forgetting about her embarrassment enough to nod. "I don't mind," she told him weakly. What was she supposed to say? She couldn't throw him out when he was just trying to be nice. Some alone time would have been pleasant though.

Naruto sat on her bed and scooted himself back so his back was against the wall, just like she had shifted to do earlier. "So you're Hideki's daughter, huh?"

"Yep. Though to be honest I'd never met him before Tuesday," she told him gently as she closed her laptop. Boruto and Shikamaru would both have to wait for a while.

"Oh, I see. That's rough. I don't know my dad either… or my mom. They both died when I was a baby but my god-father, Jiraiya, took me in. He's kinda like a weird uncle or grandpa or something," Naruto said with a cheeky smile.

Ren found herself almost returning his smile but then she remembered what had just happened and couldn't bring herself to. "It's good that you have someone. For all my life it was just me and my mom."

"Oh yeah. Teme said you lost your mom and that was why you moved in. That's rough. I'm real sorry for your loss." His smile faltered and his cerulean blue eyes reflected what Ren assumed was pity.

The Hyuga bit her bottom lip hard; she didn't want anyone's pity. "Thank you," Ren muttered and forced her pale orbs to stare into his. They were a really pretty shade of blue; the kind you'd expect to see on a movie star or anime character. "I'm sorry you had to hear that conversation," she told him honestly. The three lines on each of his cheeks drew her attention momentarily but she would save that question for another, less stressful day.

"Hey don't worry about it. I had no idea it'd be something so personal or I'd of held the teme back. He heard you in here yelling and automatically thought someone broke in or something. You did sound pretty flustered from the hallway."

"Y-yeah," Ren practically whimpered out. She took a deep breath to collect herself then told Naruto, "I was pretty embarrassed about the call even before you two showed up. That's not a conversation you want to be having with your best friend's parents. My uncles are going to freak out if they hear about that stupid rumor." She raked her fingers through her hair again; it was an attempt to cope with the stress induced migraine forming.

"People like to talk," Naruto stated, "For about six years a couple of kids at school had everyone believing I had a demon inside of me or something. I guess that they needed something to blame all my energy on." He chuckled and Ren found herself smiling too. It didn't seem so bad since Naruto had been through similar; well not quite but he knew what rumors were like. "If you aren't pregnant then don't worry about it; the rumor will fizzle out and the kids will forget all about it. It's not like you have to deal with them anyway. You're here and this can be your fresh start!"

Ren could have hugged him if she weren't the awkward and shy person that she was. "Thank you, Naruto," she said gently. She flashed him a small smile, just big enough to show off a little of her pearly whites.

"You should smile more," Naruto stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "You look even prettier when you do. Hey can I ask you something?"

"Un?"

"What's up with your eyes? I mean… like they're really pretty but I've never seen any as pale as yours. Do you even have a pupil?"

She felt a little insulted but pushed that away. It was a similar line of questioning that she always got. "Well," she started out quietly, "It's a Hyuga family trait, I guess. Everyone in my family has eyes like mine. Some say they're white, others say they're thistle, and some say they're white that look thistle in certain lightings. I think I agree with the latter; they're white with thistle tinting. Oh, and yes, I do have pupils, they just are almost impossible to see unless I'm really straining my eyes."

"Well they're really cool," he exclaimed. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Thanks," she giggled out slightly before staring down at her knees. "I like your eyes too," she whispered.

Sasuke appeared at that exact moment and glared at the two of them. "Let's pick out a movie already, dobe," Sasuke grunted out.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming, teme," Naruto replied while waving his hand towards Sasuke in an attempt to say 'don't rush me, man!'. "Hey, Ren-chan," Naruto said as he scooted off her bed. He stood and looked at her. "Wanna watch horror movies with us? It would get your mind off stuff." His grin was radiant.

"S-sure," she responded nervously. She really did need to focus on the stuff going on in her life but putting it off long enough to enjoy a movie or two wouldn't hurt, she hoped.

As Ren was getting off her bed she heard Sasuke tell Naruto, "Don't try putting any of your lame-ass moves on her. You're the last thing she needs." The Hyuga's cheeks tinted pink; was that what Naruto was doing? She couldn't hear Naruto's reply because the two of them had already started walking down the hallway. She stepped out of her room in time for Sasuke to call out to her from over his shoulder, "If you get scared don't come crying to us."

Ren's cheeks puffed up and she stood a little taller while pushing her chest out. "As if," She muttered while rolling her eyes. The motion was all in vain; her pale irises made the action almost unrecognizable. The action had gotten her nothing more than a chuckle from Naruto and a smirk from Sasuke.

"If you get too scared you can hold my hand, Ren-chan! I'll protect you," Naruto shouted from the couch where he was now seated. Sasuke smacked him on the back of the head and Naruto exclaimed, "Ow! What was that for?!"

The Hyuga sighed and muttered under her breath, "This is going to be a long night." She wondered if she should pretend to be afraid but decided against it; what was the point of acting like something you aren't just because a guy wants to play hero? Who cares if that guy is cute? Something was seriously wrong with her, she decided; she didn't have any interest in creating romantic bonds here.

Ren gently lowered herself onto the couch between Naruto and Sasuke since the two of them were sitting as far apart as possible. "So what movie's first," she asked while looking at Sasuke; he did have the remote after all.

"The Ring," Naruto shouted.

At the same time Sasuke muttered, "The Hills Have Eyes."

The two of them locked into a glaring match despite Ren being between them. It took everything she had not to physically sigh at the two's antics. _"How are you two even friends,"_ she asked in her mind, _"I have my own problems to deal with…"_

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I hope this chapter reads smooth... I've been messing with it for days. This, my dears, is the start of Ren's problems... it's a downward slope (with a few ups to go with the downs) from here on out. I'm planning to come up with a writing and posting schedule today. I'm actually getting ready to do that right now. I'll be posting that on my page if you want to know it. You can also find it (and other tidbits) on my Facebook Page; just look up Ren Hyuga. The profile picture has her wearing an Anbu Mask off to the side I think. Until next time, my friends, I wish you well.


	10. A Rock and A Hard Place

The room was completely dark when Ren opened her eyes; she had been woken up by the soft sound of bare footsteps padding across the hardwood floor. With a low groan she shifted her weight; her right arm felt dead and the pain that shot throughout it was enough to make her shut her eyes tighter just to adjust to the tingling sensation.

She blinked through the darkness once she grew accustomed to the pain but the whole room was pitch black and she was having difficulty moving; it was like she was half pinned between a rock and a hard place. Then she heard a wet smacking sound, like someone opening and closing their mouth after they had been drooling; her toes were wet. _"Argh, where am I,"_ she groaned internally.

In an instant the lights were thrown on, causing her to close her eyes once more, and she heard several clicks of a camera shutter going off. Feminine laughter filled the room and suddenly the rock she had been pinned to moved, separating her from the hard place. Her body was falling forward before she had a chance to register anything; she rolled and she landed on the wooden floor with a loud **THUD~**. "Ouch," she grumbled out as she shifted into a sitting position using only one arm to do it; the other just wasn't cooperating.

"Oh my gosh! That was amazing," TenTen's whispered voice bounced around Ren's mind.

"TenTen? What are yo-," she started to question but once her eyes were opened her mouth shut in a hurry. She was on the floor, in the living room, with her toes wet and a dead arm. She had fallen asleep on the couch.

"What is your problem," Sasuke hissed as he stood right next to where Ren had just fallen.

"What's going on," another male voice, Naruto, asked as he sat up on the couch.

It all came flooding back to the Hyuga in an instant:

 _They had been watching horror movies half the night. It started out with_ The Hills Have Eyes _while they ate their takeout, then they watched_ The Ring _, followed by a few others that she couldn't even remember the names of until they got to_ Poltergeist _._

 _She wasn't too scared (at first) but then her mind started playing tricks on her; that was something she hadn't experienced since she was little. Horror movies weren't something she usually found terrifying but this one was different. Naruto seemed to be having a similar reaction because he would scoot a little closer to her, bump her hand causing her to jump, apologize then she would scoot closer to Sasuke in a pathetic attempt to distance herself from Naruto. By the time she brushed her leg against Sasuke's he was staring at the two of them instead of the screen. "You two are such babies," he muttered._

 _"_ _Are not! You just don't have a heart, teme," Naruto whined out, "This movie is creepy, man!"_

 _"_ _Tch," was Sasuke's response._

 _Ren hadn't taken her eyes from the screen and watched in horror as the poltergeist activity increased. For some unknown reason she buried her face into Sasuke's shoulder at the same time Naruto hid behind her back._

 _Sasuke had tensed up when she pressed her eyes against him but he didn't push her or Naruto away. Ren could feel him trembling ever so slightly; there was something about not being able to see the villain that made horror movies that much scarier, even for someone with a stone-cold exterior like Sasuke. "Fine. We'll turn in for the night," he muttered as he pressed the_ STOP _button on the DVD remote._

 _"_ _Th-thank you," Ren whimpered lowly as she attempted to straighten up. Naruto was practically spooning her in the most awkward way and she was forced to continue to lean on Sasuke._

 _"_ _Now I'm never going to sleep,_ _teme_ _," Naruto groaned as he pressed his chin lightly into Ren's shoulder. She felt like the meat in a sandwich… but it was made with bread that had been sitting out for a few days and was hard._

 _"_ _We'll watch something funny before going to bed," Sasuke grumbled._

 _Ren had no idea what to do. Sasuke surely was bothered by her practically being glued to him but he didn't show any signs of it actually disturbing him; he seemed irritated that the movie had to be turned off and that he wasn't able to go to bed yet but the close proximity produced no response. He wasn't trying to push her away or insult her; she felt very confused. Something about his attitude didn't feel like the Sasuke she was getting to know._

 _"_ _Thanks! Let's watch that new kid movie that came out. What's it called," Naruto mused as he shifted away from Ren slightly, giving her the chance to scoot away from Sasuke a little. Ren watched as a dark expression formed on Sasuke's face; she had no idea why, maybe Naruto's movie suggestion annoyed him. She realized she had been staring and a pink blush dusted her cheeks slightly; Naruto was still talking, "-and then somehow she meets up with that fox dude and he has to help her for whatever reason. Let's watch that one."_

 _"_ _You mean_ Zootopia _? No fucking way. We aren't little kids. We'll watch_ Deadpool _or something," Sasuke stated._

 _"_ _But that's rated M and we're only sixteen," Ren blurted out. The movie was supposedly amazing but she wasn't one to disobey warnings. She really was a good girl to a fault; she prayed this wouldn't get her in a situation where both boys made fun of her. Sasuke had done enough of that at the start of the movie marathon._

 _"_ _We're practically adults," Naruto seconded Sasuke's movie choice._

 _"_ _A baby having a baby. How_ _cute_ _," Sasuke cooed sarcastically as he rolled his onyx orbs._

 _Ren puffed her cheeks and glared at Sasuke. "I am not a baby nor am I_ _having_ _one_ _," she stated firmly; her voice was like venom. She had had enough of the subject. It was there, it was insane, and she didn't know how to deal with it._

 _Naruto waved his hands in front of his chest and begged, "Please don't fight, guys! We can watch something else. It's supposedly got some sex scenes in it anyway; it'd be weird to watch those with a girl."_

 _"_ _It'd be weirder to watch them with_ _you_ _, dobe," Sasuke retorted. "How about we just turn on_ Cartoon Network _. Maybe they'll have a good anime on there."_

 _"_ _I hope it's not Boruto," Naruto groaned out._

 _"_ _Why not," Ren asked awkwardly; everyone in the household seemed to like it (well, she couldn't be certain about Jia and Hideki)._

 _"_ _My godfather's the guy who created it. Claims he based the kid off of me but I don't see it. The physical stuff, sure, but not personality. I'm way better than that kid," Naruto explained._

 _It made sense now. Naruto had the same facial markings as Boruto because Boruto was_ _based_ _off Naruto. She knew he had seemed familiar; the similarities had been almost creepy._ "I wonder if Konohamaru knows that," _she pondered inside her mind._

 _"_ _There, it's InuYasha," Sasuke grumbled out as he got situated on the couch. Ren hadn't even noticed he changed the TV back to cable. As Sasuke moved his legs up onto the couch so that he was laying down she had to move her legs towards Naruto so she wasn't in his way, Naruto ended up laying down the other way, and Ren remained as upright as she could in the awkward positon._

 _The arm chairs would have been inviting if they were there and she could get to them. Unfortunately for the Hyuga, Jia had decided to move them into Hideki's study; Ren was stuck on the couch if she wanted to be sitting on anything but the floor._

 _One minute InuYasha and Kagome were fighting about Kikyo… the next she was waking up._

The three of them had fallen asleep on the couch. Ren raked her fingers through her hair but her ring finger got stuck in a tangle. "You're welcome," TenTen stated as she tucked her cellphone into the pocket of her pajamas.

"Yeah, thanks for waking us up so _fucking_ early," Sasuke growled out; he definitely wasn't a morning person.

"What's the big idea, TenTen," Naruto whimpered out as he rubbed the grit from his eyes.

Ren was the only one who didn't question her sister. If Ren had stayed in whatever position she had been laying in, her whole body would be as sore as her right arm was; she was grateful for the free range of movement even if it did mean being woken up at… 3:37am; she had squinted at the time on the cable box to know. She hoped it was just sleepiness and not her eyes going bad on her that caused her vision to be blurry. Hyuga's were supposed to have perfect, almost super human vision; glasses weren't on her 'desire' list.

"You guys do realize that Ren's a girl right? Mom and dad may not think anything of you two spooning on the couch, sucking on each other's toes or whatever tickles your pickle … but they will care if Ren's in the mix. How dumb can you guys be? If you were tired you should've went to bed. You're lucky you guys didn't fall asleep before they came home and that _I'm_ the one who woke you up," TenTen lectured them. It was like she was the mother in the household.

Ren hung her head low, completely missing the tidbit about toe sucking (she had forgotten all about her wet toes), as TenTen scolded them. It was a dumb move but she hadn't even felt tired. She was so wrapped up in the anime that when her eyelids drifted shut, she was sure she dreamt about the episode.

Sasuke's face was blank as he stared at TenTen. It was as if he was challenging her without words. Naruto, on the other hand, dropped to his knees and gripped TenTen's hands, much to her displeasure. "Oh thank you," he told her, "I'd hate to not be allowed to stay over anymore! Please don't tell Hideki or Jia!"

"Oh I won't," TenTen stated with a sadistic smirk as she pulled her hands from Naruto's, "As long as you three remember I now have dirt, with photographic evidence, on you."

Ren didn't like the sound of that. TenTen didn't seem quite so loving at that moment of time.

"I'll do anything you want," Naruto pleaded.

Sasuke's jaw clinched but he said nothing. Ren decided she would go that same route, for now. If she could talk to TenTen in private maybe she could convince her not to use the photo(s?) against them.

"We're going to the beach later today. Have your asses ready by eleven. We'll do a picnic and hang out with our friends so that Ren can meet people before school on Monday. Do that and I'll _think_ about deleting the pictures," TenTen said smugly as she stated her terms.

The motive was sweet and didn't go unnoticed by Ren; TenTen was trying to help ease her into a new school. Warmth filled Ren's heart and, potentially due to all her mental distress, tears began to form in her eyes momentarily. Abruptly, as she replayed the words in her mind, Ren felt a wave of horror wash over her as she realized that meant she had to wear the swimsuit TenTen and Temari had picked out for her.

"Whatever. I don't care," Sasuke grumbled out as he walked towards his room.

"We'll do it," Naruto said with a nod as he rose to his feet. "Goodnight, Ren-chan. Goodnight, Ten-nee," he called to them quietly (other people were sleeping after all) as he followed behind Sasuke.

"I'm not going to really use the pictures," TenTen whispered when they heard Sasuke's door close then reopen; Naruto wasn't used to the Hyogo's open bedroom door policy.

Relief flooded Ren's heart; she had enough problems without having to worry about drama involving Sasuke and Naruto too. "You aren't? Then why take them," Ren asked as she rose to her feet.

"To show you why I think fate brought you here," TenTen replied as she pulled her phone out, "Plus if I didn't have the pictures they wouldn't believe I took any." Ren was thoroughly puzzled about TenTen's words but kept her mouth shut. "Look," TenTen told her as she held her phone up.

Naruto was laying at one end of the couch on his side, his arms wrapped around her legs and his mouth resting right at her toes; it explained why her toes had been wet. On the other side of the couch Sasuke was laying on his back, Ren had her head on his chest and her legs were on his; Naruto's knees had been bent so she was left with little room. "Wh-what's so s-special a-abou-about i-it," Ren sputtered out nervously. It was probably the most embarrassing picture she had even seen of herself; possibly the strangest too.

"Ignore Naruto and focus on Sasuke," TenTen stated as she pulled her fingers apart to zoom in closer on Ren and Sasuke. "He's smiling," she said quietly with a hint of amusement to her voice.

"H-he's smiling," Ren repeated with a dumbfounded expression on her face. She looked from TenTen to the picture then back again a few times. He had his arms wrapped around her, as if he were trying to protect her from an unseen, evil force.

A blush spread from Ren's cheeks all the way down her neck and up to her hairline; no guy had ever held her like that, not even Shikamaru. A strange thump sent a sliver of pain through her heart. "Wh-what am I supposed t-to do n-now," Ren asked TenTen; she really needed guidance.

"I'm honestly not sure," TenTen said with a shrug; she flexed her cheek muscles on one side of her face to further show her uncertainty, "I just feel like there's a real reason you're here. He's been really dark and gloomy since he found out what happened to his birth parents; that's one reason mom just couldn't give him up. 'He needs people to care about him that he can care about too,' she said, and the older I get the more I think she's right."

"I-I s-see," was all Ren could manage to say. There was a bizarre storm brewing in her heart and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

"Let's get some sleep, we gotta look nice for the beach tomorrow," TenTen said enthusiastically as she hooked her arm through Ren's.

"O-okay," was all the Hyuga could manage to say as her sister lead her down the hallway to their shared room. There was little chance of Ren actually sleeping now.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I'm hoping this chapter is error-free. If it's not, please let me know. I've been kid-free this weekend (for the first time ever) so I put a lot of time and effort into this... but not as much as I probably should have. I ended up writing this one up (it wasn't in the original plan) because i realized the original plan is lacking in some explanations about what happens when I cut off. I have two more chapters ready-ish to go... but plan to only post once a week so that I can stay ahead of this. Since tonight is my last night of freedom I decided to post earlier than expected. I'm planning to post every Tuesday (no promises but I will try). I haven't came up with a schedule yet for my writing but I am working on it, I promise. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me :)


	11. To The Beach!

Saturday morning, once it officially began for the kids of the household, was just as busy for the Hyogo household as any weekday. Hideki was rushing about trying to get ready for a golf game with some of his coworkers and Jia was planning a dinner party two weeks ahead of time; she sat in the living room talking on the phone with a caterer while the girls ate a light breakfast. TenTen had woken Ren up when she got up then she rushed her stepsister to get ready for a day at the beach. The Hyuga had not been ready to be dragged out of bed so she was slower eating and getting dressed than TenTen.

With a quick opening of the bedroom door, just enough to squeeze through, TenTen disappeared wearing a plain, pale blue t-shirt and short denim shorts over her pink and green striped bikini. When the door was closed completely Ren rushed into her black bikini that had a purple swirl pattern on it.

As she stared at herself in the full-length mirror beside the door, Ren found herself feeling self-conscious; she looked too thin and too exposed. The suit covered her assets to nearly the bare minimum; the top tied at the back of her neck and the bottoms had ties on her boney hips. It would be too easy for someone to expose her; she already felt like she was showing off her goods as well as a few more tattoos than normal and a belly ring. Temari and TenTen had teamed up on her at the mall and convinced her this swimsuit was for her; the Hyuga still wasn't sure she agreed.

She slipped out of the room once she was dressed and quietly walked down the hall. She nearly jumped out of her skin and lost the contents of her beach bag when Jia popped up around the corner. "Ah! There you are," she exclaimed as she approached the Hyuga, "I wanted to let you know I talked to the contractor earlier and we've got a meeting on Monday after you get out of school to go over the plans for your room."

Ren hadn't forgotten that she was getting her own room but with so much else going on it hadn't even popped into her head once. "Th-thank you," Ren replied gently with a small smile, "I'll give it a lot of thought before then."

"Great," Jia told her with a bright smile. She really did seem kind. "It'll be nice to do something together! We can make it into a girls' evening. I'm sorry your father and I are so swamped with work. Sabaku is working on something big so they're keeping us as detached as possible without actually saying it! Things, supposedly, will calm down in a month or so."

"It's okay. Mom works a l-" she began but stopped to correct herself, "I mean worked, a lot too. Every time my uncles would have something big in the works or just before products were released the work always increased tenfold. I'll look forward to Monday then." Ren was really doing her best to like Jia… and she wanted to… but she wasn't her mother. It would take a lot of effort to get through this.

"Have a good time at the beach. TenTen and the boys are already out in the garage. Oh, here's your shoes, and could you tell TenTen to call me when you kids get there? I worry," she requested as she handed over a pair of white flip-flops.

"Sure thing. Thanks again. See you later," Ren told her as the two of them parted ways; Jia was heading towards the front door and Ren was going to the kitchen. The conversation left Ren's palms sweaty and her heartbeat irregular; was it only awkward for her or was it equally as uncomfortable for Jia too?

Hideki was in the kitchen pouring himself some coffee in a to-go mug when Ren approached the room; in her heart she knew things were about to become even more awkward. He stared at her as she made her way through the doorway, clearly focused on what she was wearing. Her black t-shirt had Konoha's white and green leaf insignia with 'KONOHA HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER' under it on the front and 'HYUGA 10'on the back in white lettering. Her shorts were short, mid-thigh length like TenTen's, but hers were dark denim; she wouldn't break away from dark colors so easily even if her bag and flip-flops showed otherwise. Hideki stared at her blankly as if he were trying to figure out what to make of her.

His daughter pulled at the hem of her loose shirt nervously under his intense gaze and couldn't force herself to meet his eyes. She was really tired of people scrutinizing her for every little thing; why couldn't anyone accept her as she was? Naoma always had unless she truly believed Ren was lying to herself about who she was; she desperately missed her mother. Her inner turmoil was interrupted by Hideki asking, "Where are you heading off to?"

Cautiously Ren held up the white beach bag she had clutched in one hand and the flip-flops she was carrying in the other. "I'm heading to the beach with TenTen, Sir," she told him quietly. She couldn't think of what else to call him; Hideki would be disrespectful to him as her father but Father was a title he had never cared to hold with her. She had called him that when she first arrived but they didn't have a bond for her to feel comfortable using it; it had left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Hideki was silent for a moment then nodded and told her flatly, "Have fun."

Ren rushed out the door, not bothering with her flip-flops before jumping into TenTen's Beatle between Konohamaru and Suigetsu; the top was down and she was thankful for that.

"Jia wants you to call her when we get there," Ren rushed to say as she broke into a cold sweat. She could not believe she had called her father 'sir' of all things! "What if I disappointed him? Is he angry," the Hyuga questioned herself silently. The whole situation was embarrassing and nerve racking.

"Will do. What's wrong," TenTen asked as she shifted the gearstick into reverse. Her sister seemed to be in a hurry and the bun-haired brunette couldn't understand what had happened to make her so lively.

"I called him 'sir'," Ren groaned as she ignored the three males in the car. Slender fingers raked through long raven hair as Ren began pulling her hair up into a bun; she was doing anything not to fidget in the close quarters of the backseat and was ready to remove the elastics from around her wrist that threatened to cut off circulation to her hand.

Sasuke kept his eyes facing forward since he was in the front passenger seat and seemed completely uninterested in the conversation. Suigetsu was staring at her with one white brow quirked upwards while leaning away enough that her elbow didn't collide with his face. Konohamaru's brows were furrowed with his head tilted to the side in confusion. "Who," the youngest asked.

"Hideki," Ren sighed out as her hands fell into her lap; putting her hair in a bun hadn't taken long enough for her liking.

"Why not just call him 'Dad' like the rest of us," Konohamaru asked innocently.

Ren bit her lip hard, almost bending one of the hoops she had just put back in her lip after breakfast. How did she answer that question? "W-well, it's n-not that simple," the Hyuga began nervously. Her eyes locked with TenTen's in the rearview mirror and she shut her mouth completely.

"Ren hasn't known Dad as long as we have," TenTen explained for her sister, "It's going to take time for her to see him as her dad. She may be his blood but he's not been in her life for sixteen years. He's been in all of ours for longer than you've been alive. I'm sure Dad didn't mind it too much; if anything when she does finally call him 'Dad' it'll be a momentous occasion for him." A giggle erupted from the bun-haired girl's lips causing the two teenage boys to roll their eyes, the Hyuga to attempt to fold in on herself, and Konohamaru to furrow his brows harder. "It'll be amusing to see his reaction," TenTen mused lightly.

"I guess so," Konohamaru agreed cautiously as he rested his cheek against Ren's shoulder. She instinctively put her arm around him and smiled gently. "You like me enough to still call me 'Otouto' right, Ren-nee," he asked sweetly.

Ren's heart melted and she couldn't help but grin at him. "Of course, Otouto," she told him with a giggle. She needed some time to figure everything out but it didn't seem like that was going to happen; the only time she had to herself was while everyone was at school and at night. It had been done purposely that she didn't allow herself time to think much. Now she wished she had; there was a storm of anger and hurt swirling within her and if she continued to ignore it… someone, maybe even Konohamaru, would be hurt.

Suddenly an arm came around her shoulders and her smile faded. With a quick turn of her head she saw Suigetsu staring at her with what he probably assumed was a seductive grin. He whispered, "You like me too, don't you Ren-chan?"

A shiver ran down Ren's spine and all she could do was blink. Had he not just said he was kidding around a few days before? Her heart pounded against her rib cage; she would never understand what went on in his mind.

Sasuke flicked a gum wrapper at Suigetsu's head and scowled. "She's our step-sister, idiot. Thought you weren't interested."

"Geez, Suigetsu! You really need to cut it out! It's far from funny," TenTen lectured.

Ren wished she could fade into the seat of the car and disappear. That wasn't an option so instead she leaned a little closer to Konohamaru and tried to ignore her three teenage siblings bickering. Things really were a hot mess. She hadn't wanted to cause any of them any trouble, honest! "Where's Naruto," she asked to change the subject and break up the fighting.

"He went to get his stuff. He's supposed to meet us there," TenTen responded.

"He'll be bringing a few friends with him," Sasuke added flatly.

"You don't need to worry about Naruto," Suigetsu whispered into her ear.

This had to be borderline sexual harassment or something. "No thanks. Your jokes don't interest me," She told him bluntly.

TenTen turned up the radio with a smirk upon her lips and there was no more room for conversation

* * *

 **Ren Note:** First thing's first... this was all edited and added to from my phone... and uploaded from it too... so I apologize if I have made mistakes... a physical keyboard is always better for me, always. I'll be updating on Tuesday's, I think. I can't wait for you guys to get to chapter 13! But that's too weeks awayyyyyy. Part of me wants to rush it out... but I know better. I'm trying to stay at least 2 chapters ahead. Thank you to my follows, favorites, and especially my reviews. You guys are the wind beneath my wings, believe it!


	12. A Little Piece of Justice

The squishing of golden sand beneath Ren's sandals left her feeling slightly off balance as she trailed behind Sasuke and Suigetsu; the terrain was very foreign to the ex-forest dweller. A fair distance was kept between the teenage boys and the rest of their party because they were carrying an umbrella, cooler, and one of the beach bags; the umbrella would shift and sway as the two of them fought over who was _really_ carrying the gear. A tone, tan, blond walked quickly by the group carrying a cooler of her own like it was nothing; laughter escaped TenTen and Ren as Suigetsu and Sasuke both stopped dead in their tracks.

Both teen boys stared at each other in a silent display of angst; if this were an anime, Ren was sure they'd have little rain clouds above their heads and squiggly blue lines down their suddenly darkened faces. Pride was a dangerous thing; watching both of the confident guys lose a piece of theirs was utterly hilarious. Neither Ren nor TenTen could catch their breath and had to double over due to the abdominal pain starting to develop; it was a small piece of ironic justice considering all the crap the two of them had put both girls through ever since Ren moved in.

"What's so funny Ten-nee," Konohamaru asked from between the two girls. He didn't understand what had happened to Sasuke and Suigetsu.

The two of them looked so pathetic for a second that Ren almost felt sorry for them. They both hadn't needed to be carrying the umbrella and cooler to begin with; it had been their pride and need to show off their testosterone that lead to them both carrying them; she had the suspicion that for Sasuke it had started out as a way to irritate Suigetsu, though. Sasuke quickly released the umbrella, took the cooler for himself, and grumbled back to the girls and Konohamaru, "I'm gonna go on ahead find a spot. Keep an eye out for Naruto." There was a vein protruding from his forehead as the only real sign to show how ticked off he was.

The laughter ended and both girls righted themselves, using each other for support. "Okay, Sasu-chan," TenTen called out in her sweetest big-sister voice, "Find us a good spot!"

Suigetsu said nothing as he slowly sulked behind his brother; umbrella and bag in tow.

"What's going on," Konohamaru whined as he tugged on both of his sisters' shirts. It would've been cute if he hadn't almost pulled both their tops down so far they were going to get stretched out.

With a small sigh TenTen leaned down to be at Konohamaru's level. "Don't be like Sasuke and Suigetsu when you're older, okay," She requested of him, "They're dumb and think they have to show off all the time. Remember to let people like you for you, otouto."

Konohamaru scrunched up his nose and stared at her confused. Ren leaned down and told him, "Pride is something that you have to swallow sometimes. You don't have to do all the work all the time; remember you have friends and family that you can rely on for support."

Konohamaru was still clearly confused as he let out a sigh. TenTen ruffled his spikey ponytail and told him, "You'll understand it someday."

With a reluctant nod he began running in the direction his older brothers had went with his older sisters following behind at a more casual pace; they could both still see the boys so he was fine. He was clearly hoping the boys could explain it better, in a more straightforward way.

"Oh man," TenTen grumbled out as she looked at her cellphone. She had to use her hand to block the sun's bright rays as she showed the screen to Ren.

 ** _Naruto:_**

 _Ten-nee! Omoi is being a baby again so we're running a little late! It's not my fault I swear! Don't share those pictures!_

Ren could only shake her head. "He's really scared of you isn't he," she asked.

"Yep. It's because when he first started hanging out with Sasuke I had just joined the Martial Arts Club. I was so excited about it that I went around trying my moves on anyone and everyone I could get away with it on. I also once shared his baby pictures around school, including ones of him at a hot spring with his godfather, when he I caught him spray painting a statue at the park," TenTen chuckled, "Naruto was a really easy target and a rambunctious kid. He's not the brightest bulb in the lamp most times."

"I don't think he's as dumb as he lets on," Ren mused. She couldn't believe TenTen had done all of that but made a mental note not to upset her sister.

"Oh yeah? Why not? I'm not saying I don't agree with you but I'm curious."

"It's simple. He and Sasuke overheard a conversation I was having with the Naras, Shikamaru's parents, yesterday. He had a happy-go-lucky attitude but," Ren bit her lip, "He was helpful. I think if he was that stupid he wouldn't care so much about someone he doesn't even know. If you're a complete idiot you're oblivious to everything but he seemed to know exactly what to say."

"You're going to tell me about that conversation, right? If it had you upset enough that _Naruto_ helped you feel better, I gotta know," TenTen stated as she draped her arm over her sister's shoulders.

"In private, with no one else around to hear about it," Ren promised. She was sure she needed to talk, really talk, to someone about it. She hoped she wouldn't regret it when she did confide in TenTen. So much was going on in her mind that sorting through the muck felt impossible on her own.

"Deal," TenTen agreed. "I guess they finally decided on a spot! Alright. Let's catch up then get in the water!"

TenTen was pulling Ren laughing as they ran but the Hyuga was feeling too paranoid to laugh at that moment. It was only a matter of time until Hiashi was blowing up her phone. With a deep breath she decided to ignore all the stress and just enjoy her day at the beach.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** this chapter was shorter than i meant for it to be... and I had seriously considered omitting it... but I did take the time to write it... and it does feel like i need it a little of it... so I'll keep it. I'll try to post 13 later today too... but that means I'm no longer ahead of the game at all so i'm still undecided... I was trying to get a chapter wrote for my story _All Or Nothing_ so that killed most of my (very limited) free time. It's one that's kind of on the back burner right now for several reasons... but today i'm wanting to update it... a pot should not simmer for ten months, ne? I'll still be updating this weekly (even if it kills me) but the chapters may be a little sloppier than normal. Thank you for your time, patience, and understanding.


	13. What a View

"Hey Ren," Temari called from behind the Hyuga. The girls and Konohamaru were standing about knee deep in the ocean soaking up the sun and enjoying the gentle roll of the waves.

"Huh," Ren asked as she turned. In an instant she was covered in salty water. A gasp escaped the Hyuga's lips on impact. The water was warm and the calm waves were relaxing but having it suddenly splashed upon her whole body caused her muscles to jolt in shock.

TenTen, Konohamaru, and Temari all three laughed at her reaction. Part of Ren was embarrassed causing her pale cheeks to flush pink, the other part felt like being playful. In a quick movement she picked up the bucket Konohamaru had planned to put fish in (it was impossible to catch them but he failed to accept that) and scooped up water. The motion was swift and flawless as the water left the bucket heading straight for the oldest of the teens.

Temari ducked causing the water to, mostly, go over her head and drench TenTen. The gasp that left the bun-haired girl's lips was far from lady like but a giggle erupted shortly after. It had only lasted a second but horror washed over the Hyuga; TenTen was going to kill her. Her muscles relaxed as water splashed from TenTen's arms to Temari. A water war had begun and poor Konohamaru was trapped in the middle of it.

 **XXXX**

"Oy," Naruto called out as he approached the picnic spot Sasuke and Suigetsu had set up. He was followed by Jugo, Chojuro, and Omoi. "Where's everyone else at," the fair-skinned blond asked before plopping himself down on one of the beach towels. The rest of the posse was silent as they quickly set up their own lounging area.

"Suigetsu is getting something to drink from one of the vendors, I guess. I think that Gaara and Kankuro are changing. Apparently Temari was in a hurry. The other four are in the water."

"So you're just sitting here alone," Chojuro asked meekly. He nervously ran his hand through his short blue hair before adjusting the goggle-like sunglasses he wore.

"What if you were dying from a heat stroke? And what if no one would have realized it until we got here. What if we got here too late," Omoi began his usual worry-based questioning.

The Uchiha toned them out; these guys were Naruto's friends more than they were his; he couldn't be sure but it often felt like the two resented him for whatever reason. Jugo was the only one Sasuke could honestly say was really his friend.

"Guys! He's fine," Naruto cut their questions short as he spoke. "This is just what Teme does! Plus, look," he continued as he nodded towards the girls playing in the water with Konohamaru. Temari and TenTen were swinging Konohamaru's feet through the water while Ren watched laughing and saying something they couldn't hear, "he's got one hell of a view today."

"Those are my sisters, dobe," Sasuke hissed lowly; Temari and Konohamaru were in the mix too but the last Uchiha knew exactly who Naruto thought he was looking at. He _had_ been watching them but not to admire them like Naruto seemed to think. No, Sasuke's mind was preoccupied with how awkward it was to have another sister. TenTen had been bad enough, it was his duty as her brother to keep an eye on her, now he had to worry about another one.

"I don't understand," Jugo stated calmly as he leaned back onto his beach chair, "the ocean looks no different today than it does any other day."

Everyone except Sasuke and Jugo started chuckling. "He means my sisters, Jugo," Sasuke clarified. Why was he even friends with Naruto at all? They were polar opposites with very little in common but Naruto was like a fly that just wouldn't buzz off. Sasuke couldn't understand their friendship but either way he was grateful for it, even if he would never admit that out loud to anyone.

"They are quite lovely," Jugo mused, "especially the blond."

"Hey, hey," Naruto sat straight up and looked at Jugo, "Temari is off limits okay?!"

"Why is that," Chojuro asked as he situated himself to get more comfortable.

Omoi unwrapped a lollipop and placed it in his mouth before saying, "As far as I know she's single, unless someone asked her out and she actually agreed to date them. Do you think she has anyone that she likes? What if he's so good to her that it leaves all of us without a chance? What if he ruins it for all of us with every girl because he's so amazing? Girls talk about stuff like that. What if he sets the bar too high?"

"Omoi, bro, chill," Suigetsu stated as he plopped down between Chojuro and Omoi, "Ren's single but not for sale."

"Idiot," Sasuke grumbled under his breath.

"We were talking about Temari," Naruto deadpanned.

"Good. Hands off Ren," Suigetsu stated with a shrug before he took a long sip of his orange colored drink.

"She's your sister," Sasuke grunted out while glaring at his brother.

"Not by blood, bro, not by blood," Suigetsu countered.

"Are you joking or not," Chojuro asked.

"I don't think he even knows," Omoi responded.

"I agree," Jugo gave his opinion.

"Oy! Guys," Naruto shouted as he leapt to his feet and held up a volleyball. "Who wants to play?!" He had to distract them from gawking at the girls anymore; that was Sasuke's guess, anyway.

Everyone except for Sasuke was all for it. They were all up and moving towards the volleyball area when Sasuke's eyes drifted back towards the water. There was something about his newest step-sister that intrigued him. She seemed so bold and determined at times yet like a china doll other times; he wondered how easily it would really be for someone to shatter her. With a quick, silent sigh he prayed he would never have to find out; a broken doll was dangerous to have around.

"Aren't you coming, teme," Naruto called back to the brooding male once he realized Sasuke had not followed them.

"No thanks, someone's gotta watch our stuff," Sasuke bellowed back flatly; he really just wasn't in the mood to play such a pointless game. He wouldn't admit to it but he was absolutely horrible at volleyball; give him soccer over it any day.

"Suit yourself, teme," Naruto responded as he turned to run off. It was odd that the blond hadn't tried to pressure him into it like always; Sasuke made a mental note not to question the rare occurrence and just enjoy it.

Things had quieted down around Sasuke and he closed his eyes to just soak everything in. It was always peaceful at the beach even when it was crowded on the weekends. He could hear Konohamaru's high-pitched squeals and laughter, Temari and TenTen's giggle fits, the four sets of legs splashing through the water, and the usual ocean sounds. Ren was by far the quietest. His dark brows furrowed and he listened so hard that a vein on his forehead raised enough to be seen.

Why did Ren have to move in with them? It made life so much harder and he wasn't sure how to handle any of it. She was nice, mostly, and was great with Konohamaru but she was also a new burden; a new bond to be formed and bind him to the Hyogo house. How could she be so stupid as to let people find out she had sex, allow rumors to form from it, and then… He stupidly wanted to shield her from it. Why was he so protective of her? He never had to be this way over TenTen… so… why…

"What the hell has you thinking so hard," Kankuro asked as he dropped his stuff next to Temari's.

"Nothing," Sasuke replied with an aloof expression on his face once he opened his onyx eyes to stare at both Sabaku brothers. He hadn't heard either of them approaching but he didn't allow them the satisfaction of knowing that his heart had jumped at Kankuro's voice.

Gaara gave him the creeps; it was like looking in an emotional mirror every time their eyes met. The two looked nothing alike physically but they both knew pain and torment. Neither male looked at each other very long. Gaara was disinterested and went a few yards away to start building sand castles; the red-head hated water but loved the sand; no one made the mistake of questioning it or teasing him for it after Gaara crushed one guy's hand.

"Right," Kankuro drawled out skeptically as he lounged where Naruto had just had his rear-end planted. "So what's the story with your new sister? Temari couldn't shut up about her the other day; says she's got a badass rebel vibe and kicked Karin's ass."

Sasuke internally sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know her well," was the response he gave. _"You know her well enough to cuddle her in your sleep last night then have_ _that_ _dream,"_ Sasuke halted that thought right there; he really needed to distance himself.

"How can you live with her and not be getting to know her," Kankuro pondered aloud, "She's a real babe, from what I can see."

"Unlike you, I don't care if she is or isn't attractive," Sasuke stated. He didn't like the way everyone seemed to gawk at Ren. This was something he hadn't had to deal with from TenTen; everyone knew to leave her alone or she might show them exactly why she placed at least fifth in every martial arts tournament she entered for the last three years.

He could admit that she was appealing but that was as far as he would let his mind wander. The truth of the matter was this: He didn't want another sibling, he hated the way everyone was fawning over her just because she had lost her mother (Sasuke had lost both of his parents and his brother but all he got was bounced around from home to home until Jia adopted him), and he couldn't figure out why he felt the need to go out of his way to be nice to her too.

"Isn't she why you broke up with Karin?"

"Karin was annoying," Sasuke grunted out. It wasn't any of Kankuro's business.

"True enough. That girl is psychotic or something."

"The guys are playing volleyball and I don't think their teams are even. Be prepared for them to come recruiting," Sasuke said simply to change the subject.

"I'll just go join them. Don't kill each other," Kankuro grunted as he looked back and forth between Gaara and Sasuke.

"Whatever," Sasuke grunted out.

"I can make no such promise," was Gaara's monotone response. It gave Sasuke the chills and part of him wanted to call Kankuro back over; he worked too hard on his image to do that however.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I'm flustered, y'all. I'm wore thin! I'm doing my best but I completely missed last week's update... I have been going over this chapter for a while but feel like I've not done anything... it's chaos. If I have errors... grammatical or punctuation, let me know and I'll fix it. I've been trying my best but life is putting me through the ringer. I was so excited when I wrote this because it was a look into Sasuke's mind... but my enthusiasm has been sucked out of me, as depressing as that is... Next chapter will also be a beach scene... and the one after that probably will be too. I was going to write them as one big chapter... but reminded myself I'm not doing that anymore. _All Or Nothing_ is going to be getting tweaked in that regard too... I don't have the time or patience for 20k word chapters (the average per chapter is 11k) anymore... I just don't... Sorry, sorry. i'm ranting. Thank y'all so much for reading and (if you do) reviewing. I need some sort of a pick-me-up so I'm hoping this will bring y'all a little bit of joy... Your joy is mine, believe it!


	14. Beach Blues

Ren wrapped her towel around her body as she sat down beside Sasuke. The sun was still high in the sky but the wind had picked up leaving small goosebumps upon her wet, sunburned skin. She winced within her mind, not outwardly, as the towel pressed against her pink-ish flesh.

"Getting cold," he asked without looking over at her.

"More tired than anything, I guess," she responded as she rung the salt water from her long raven hair. Did he not notice the sunburn? No one in the family had had sunscreen so it was something added to her mental shopping list; it was ever growing.

"Pregnancy does that," He commented. Something else to add to the list; a pregnancy test she knew she wouldn't need.

"I'm not pregnant," she retorted while looking out at the ocean; Temari, TenTen, and Konohamaru were still in the water; they were laughing and hadn't even seemed to notice that the Hyuga vanished. "Please just let it go." Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip and she ran her fingers roughly down her cheeks; it created more pain than she had anticipated. "My uncle will torture me enough for everyone, I assure you."

"What makes you think he'll do anything at all?" Sasuke leaned a little closer with his dark brows furrowed; he was clearly studying her face in great detail. It made her stomach clinch and she had to fight back the urge to move away.

He clearly knew nothing about her uncle. "Because no one gives Hiashi Hyuga or The Hyuga Corporation a bad name and gets away with it. I'm here because he didn't want me to spoil his good image. Appearances are everything to him; he even goes so far that he picks out what designers are prestigious enough for his employees. He's not a man to be trifled with."

"You're in a different country. What's the worst he can do?"

"Keep all of my mother's things from me, refuse to give me the settlement money, strip me of everything I've got, bash my name, disown me… it's a long list." It was indeed a long list; one she'd been trying to avoid thinking about and that was the extent of what she was willing to share with her step-brother. "It's going to be a disaster no matter what." She folded in on herself, pressing her forehead to her knees as she hugged them close to her chest; the motion hurt but she had to do it for her own comfort. "I didn't do anything wrong but I'll still be damned."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted out as he placed his hand on top of her head to pet her hair; Ren appreciated that he didn't touch her sunburn and was strangely gentle about it. "He sounds like an asshole. Do you seriously think he'll do all that without proof that the rumors are even true?"

"No. Oh no," she said as she moved her head side to side slowly; Sasuke's hand stayed where it was. "He'll probably do something degrading like request that I go to a doctor he's specified and take tests there, then he'll wait on the doctor to send him the results, then when it comes back that I'm not pregnant he'll tell me it's all my fault the rumors were started to begin with. It'd be even worse if he wants to have a doctor check and see if I'm a virgin. It'll be a really long and drawn out process of hell."

She didn't know when it happened but sometime while she was talking to Sasuke, Naruto had sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist in such a gentle way that her sunburn didn't sting from the extra pressure. "It'll be alright," he told her gently. They were both clearly aware of her sunburn but weren't going to mention it; she appreciated that.

She felt Sasuke's hand tense up and then it fell from the top of her head completely. It wasn't Naruto that she looked up at when she raised her head; Sasuke's eyes were darker than normal and his expression was completely unreadable. Her heart clinched at the sight but she couldn't explain why; that blank look on his face sent her deeper into turmoil.

"Th-thanks, Naruto," she told him without looking at him for more than a second. Truthfully hearing that things would be okay helped but not enough. She didn't know how things would ever be alright. "D-do either of you know where I can get a job, at least for the summer? I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket; especially one that I know is going to have the bottom fall apart."

"You could always try that pizza place Sasuke loves so much. Or Ichiraku," Naruto suggested as he pulled himself away from the Hyuga to use his hands for gestures as he talked.

"The pizza place would be a better bet," Sasuke murmured, "Then I wouldn't have to put up with you smelling like ramen all the time like the dobe."

"Hey! Ramen is wayyyyyy better than pizza!"

"Tch, yeah right."

The two of them were on their feet, fists clinched, and ready to attack… all over a job? Ren resigned herself to accepting that she would never understand her stepbrother… or his best friend. Suddenly "Peacock" started playing and the Hyuga's face turned cherry red (not that it wasn't already red from the sunburn). It wasn't the call she was expecting and she had forgotten to change that ringtone. "I-I have to take that," she stated as she began digging through her beach bag for her cellphone.

"What is that," Sasuke asked, a hint of disgust lacing his tone.

"Oh my god that's too funny," Naruto wheezed out through his laughter.

Ren wanted to die as she finally slid her finger across the lock screen. "Hey," she answered breathlessly. Both boys behind her shut up as soon as she answered the phone. Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the arm and began dragging him, kicking and shouting, away from the Hyuga. Ren bowed her head to Sasuke in silent thanks; hoping her eyes showed her gratitude along with the motion.

"Hey. You didn't have to hang up like that yesterday. Mom and Dad were kind of upset. I guess they weren't done with you yet. This is such a drag," Shikamaru told her from the other end of the call.

"I don't have time to deal with that right now," Ren responded weakly; she hung her head low. "I'm at the beach with my family trying to pretend those rumors don't exist. I'd hate for them to follow me here."

"I get it," Shikamaru drawled out lazily, "I'm trying to nip this in the bud but apparently your cousin Neji has heard some things from Lee; it's only a matter of time before Hiashi's on your case and mine. We need to come up with a game plan here; it's a total drag getting blamed and crucified for something that isn't even true."

"I know," she responded weakly, folding in on herself again, "I wish I could take it all back."

"Hey now," Shikamaru growled playfully, "None of that. It was great; we were really getting the hang of it."

Her face was beet red. This was not an appropriate conversation right now. "Sh-shika-ma-maru!"

"What? It's true. You know it, I know it, and apparently the whole school thinks it's grand enough to create a little ShikaRen."

"It doesn't have to be 'grand' to create a baby, Shika," she muttered. If the world would swallow her up she would be eternally grateful to it.

"Nah but it helps," Shikamaru stated with a lazy chuckle; he loved making her blush and she knew that was what he was trying to do.

"I'll do whatever Hiashi-jisan wants me to as long as he keeps you and your family out of it. There's no sense in him trying to ruin both of our lives," Ren murmured. She felt like her heart was in a vice so that it could barely beat. Why was everything in her life going so poorly as a whole? What had she done to deserve this?

"Ne, Ren, I think we should name it Shikakuzu if it's a boy, and Renny if it's a girl," He suddenly said loudly; what had gotten into him?

"Sh-Shi-Shika-m-ma-maru," she could barely get his name out! What was going on in his head? Why was he doing this to her? She felt tears stinging behind her eyes; this was a serious matter and he was making a joke of it.

"Hey! What's wrong with those names, ma?"

From the background she heard Yoshino shout, "You will not be naming any grandchildren of mine any 'kuzu' name nor will you take a beautiful name like Ren and ruin it just because you think it's funny." The huff that left her as she audibly stomped out of the room was like a punch and squeeze to Ren's heart.

"Sorry," he grunted out, "She's been on my case. I feel like she forgets that we're only 16, unmarried, and that the closest thing I've got to a girlfriend is in Kaze no Kuni. She's on a grandbaby kick and I can't even explain why. Dad's going crazy just trying to keep her out of stores. She's still young enough to have a kid of her own, sort of, so I just don't get it."

"S-so," she muttered, "all of that," her voice was starting to gain volume, "was to upset your mother?! That's horrible, Shikamaru!" She realized how loud she was starting to get and took a quick deep breath. "Don't use me and my body just to get at your mother. I love Yoshino and we both deserve better than that."

"Don't nag me like that," he grunted out passively.

"Then don't use me and the baby that doesn't even exist like that," she retorted with a huff of her own.

"Troublesome woman."

"Irritating man," she fired back lowly. They would argue for a little longer then be just fine; in all honesty she needed to let off some steam, just like he did, so this was the best they could do without dragging anyone else into it too.

XXXXX

"What are you doing, Karin," Sasuke asked from behind the red-head. She was crouched behind the ice cream stand dangerously near where his group had set up their umbrellas. He noticed he could see their space perfectly from here; that was irritating.

She quickly turned to see Sasuke; her red eyes were wide and she quickly fell straight down onto her knees. "Looking for my earring," she stated quickly and began sifting through the sand with her fingers.

"That's funny," Sasuke stated coldly, "because they're both in your ears." He crossed his arms and glared at her. She had clearly been spying on them; for how long he couldn't tell.

It was his idea to get Naruto away from Ren to give her privacy while she talked to whoever it was she had set that horrible ringtone for; he assumed it was the "baby's father". His step-sister really did need to be more careful about things like that; if Jia heard it she would have a conniption and Hideki would blow a gasket.

"O-oh," Karin grumbled as she stood up straight and dusted her hands off on her purple board shorts. "Thanks, Sasuke-kun," she practically purred as she stepped closer to him. "What are you doing here anyway?"

He wanted to roll his eyes but felt like even that was more effort than it was worth for Karin. "I'm here with my family, but you already know that," his voice was like venom.

"Oh, are you? I hadn't noticed," she attempted to play coy.

"Look. Stay away from my family, alright? We're done and you have no reason to stalk them anymore."

Her face paled slightly and she huffed a breath of air through her nose as if he had insulted her. She reached up to touch his cheek while cooing, "You aren't done with me Sasuke. We're going to get married, have lots of _Uchiha_ babies, and then we'll die holding hands when we're old and gray."

He blanched away from her; she was really insane. "I'm not doing any of those things with you. Why don't you get over it and move on?"

"Like you have," she asked as she tilted her head to the side. Her eyes narrowed into a glare behind her glasses.

"Yes, like I have," he lied through his teeth. "You'll hear all about her Monday at school," he told her.

 **SMACK~**. She had slapped him so hard that, if he were anyone else, his head would have whipped to the side. He could've stopped the motion all together but had decided to let her have her moment. "You're such a pig, Sasuke-kun! A sick, disgusting pig. We aren't done, Sasuke-kun. We will  never be done. Just you wait and see," she hissed at him.

He said nothing but watched the clear tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Her heels dug into the sand as she turned and stormed off, probably to go join her girlfriends somewhere and complain about how horrible he was. The Uchiha-turned-Momochi-changed-Hyogo sighed to himself. From where he stood he could see Ren perfectly. She was curled up into a ball and her face was as red as his favorite fruit, a tomato.

"There you are, Teme," Naruto called out from behind him. "Hey what's up with your face," he asked as Sasuke turned to face him. "Did someone hit you?"

"Yeah. Karin was spying on Ren and didn't like being caught in the act," he answered vaguely with a shrug. It wouldn't serve him well to spill every detail to Naruto; he would keep their conversation to himself.

"She's so crazy, man," Naruto whined as he looked around to see if she was still in the area.

"Indeed," Gaara stated as he came up beside the two guys. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder how long he had been standing around. The youngest Sabaku really gave him the creeps.

"Man I'm starving," Naruto groaned as he held his grumbling tummy.

"It is about dinner time," Gaara mused without taking his eyes from Sasuke's.

"Let's get everyone rounded up and eat," Sasuke ordered flatly. He wanted to separate from Gaara quickly; those blue-green eyes of his were soul-chilling. They suggested that he knew something he could hold over Sasuke.

"You should go wash your face," Gaara informed Sasuke, "You won't get rid of the whole handprint but you may be able to tone it down enough that your sisters won't notice."

Sasuke really did not like Gaara, but he had a point. "I will," he stated as he turned to walk off. It wouldn't be good for him to have to explain the situation to TenTen and he really didn't want to see how Ren would react; the mall incident had been bad enough.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I hope y'all enjoyed it. I don't know when the next chapter will be out... real life keeps trying to screw me over time and time again. I'll do my best to have it next Tuesday but it may be the Tuesday after that. Thank you for your time and patience. XoXo ~Ren


	15. A Taste of Reality

Conversation buzzed all around Ren; she felt awkward meeting so many new people and was having a hard time keeping up with all the noise.

"We should really go to the mall again," TenTen told Temari.

"This year's team is going to be the best," Naruto told the group of guys.

The conversations were separate and Ren wasn't sure which she would join in on. Her heart was racing as she tried to listen to everyone but none of the information was sticking in her mind. A daunting ringtone sounded from her beach bag and a sigh escaped her lips; it would have been a blessing if it weren't _his_ ringtone she was hearing. "I-I'm sorry," Ren apologized as she fished her cellphone out of her bag, "I ha-have to take it."

"It's fine," a few of the group said while others said, "It's cool," and, "No problem." TenTen tossed her the keys to her car as she stood up.

The Hyuga heard little of it as she stared down at the phone ringing in her hand. A cold sweat formed all over her body despite the brutally hot sun that was high in the sky as she walked away from the group and towards the parking lot where she wouldn't be overheard. "Hello," she answered quietly as she made her way towards the wooden posts that marked the beach entrance.

 _"_ _We need to talk,"_ came a flat male voice from the other end of the phone.

"I-I know," She muttered, "G-give me a minute to get somewhere private." Despite her best efforts the words sounded like she was begging for him to understand. "I-I'm at the beach w-with my s-si-siblings r-right now," she continued talking to fill the silence that would have ensued otherwise.

Once in the parking lot she let out a near silent sigh and told him, "A-alright. I-I'm almost to the car s-o we should b-be okay."

The other end was silent for a few more seconds then a heavy sigh raged through the phone causing a crackling noise. _"I don't know if you've heard about the rumors going around here but I thought I should give you a heads up,"_ he told her more gently than she would ever have expected from  him.

"I've heard," she admitted wearily, "Shikamaru's parents called me yesterday."

 _"_ _I've been trying to keep them to a minimum, out of Hiashi's ears but it couldn't be helped. He plans to send Tokuma to visit you in a few weeks."_

"Oh god," she murmured lowly as she slumped against TenTen's hot car. "Why? Why would he send Tokuma?" Quickly she got into the car and rolled down all the windows to let out the heat.

 _"_ _Because Tokuma is his lap dog? I don't know, Ren. Are you pregnant?"_

There it was: the question everyone kept asking her that she hated even having to answer. "No, Neji, I'm not," she responded flatly. "How could this have even happened," she whimpered as her body slumped and her forehead came to rest against the steering wheel; it was hot but could have been worse if TenTen hadn't put a sunshield in the front and back windshields. Things were bad when it was Neji that called her; they weren't all that close and she felt like 90% of the time he pretended she didn't even exist. The two were distantly related but aside from that fact they shared nothing in common.

 _"_ _According to your friend, you've completed the action to make it a legitimate concern for the Hyuga's."_

"Yes, I did. I did do that but I was careful, we were both careful. I'll get my period in a week just like I'm supposed to," Ren said gently, she couldn't make herself sound confident despite how hard she was trying. This was Neji she was talking to; the boy she had had a crush on until she was ten and found out that you can't marry your cousin. Her heart clinched and she felt like her throat was on fire as she forced back tears; she may not be able to be with him but that admiration would always be there and she could tell by his voice that he was disappointed.

 _"_ _Are you sure? Things happen, Ren. Why would you do something so stupid?"_

Tears were going to fall no matter what she did, no matter how much she shook her head and took deep breaths… so she let them. First one that dripped down her face and landed on her exposed thigh, then another, and another. "I-I," she tried to speak but she couldn't, "Please don't hate me, too, Neji," she begged through the sobs she couldn't hold back.

He was silent; she couldn't even hear him breathing or background noise. "N-Neji? P-Please," she pleaded.

 _"_ _I don't hate you,"_ he finally stated coldly. She sniffled and he continued, _"I just don't understand how you could do something so reckless, so careless. The whole reason you weren't able to stay here was because Hiashi-ojisan thinks you're going to do things_ _exactly like this_ _. He's so worried about making sure the Hyuga always come up smelling like a rose that he doesn't see us as people but links in chain. You've never done anything to prove to him that you're anything but a reckless brat who wants to stick it to the man."_

His words were like a knife cutting through her very being. The beating of her heart was like the pounding of a war drum causing a faint ringing in her ears while her mind felt like it was spiraling into oblivion. A wave of nausea rushed over her causing her body to jerk in an attempt to keep from gagging. "N-Neji," she called to him quietly as she fought back the need to vomit, "I-I'm not a fuck up. I-I just… I know I'm never going to be good enough for him. A-and why do I have to be? W-why is it that our last name defines us more than who we are as people. A-any-o-one can l-look at us and think they know us… b-because of w-wh-what? O-Our eyes? W-we are p-people, Neji, not j-just Hyuga's. I'm human," she sobbed out.

 _"_ _I know, Ren,"_ he told her with a softness he'd never used before; it made her cry harder.

"I… I lost my mom… and I don't know how to deal with that. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I've got this whole new family that I have to get to know; they have eleven years of memories together that I can only hear about, never experience with them. I don't belong anywhere. The only place I ever mattered was with my mom. With her the Hyuga's didn't matter, my bizarre relationship with Shikamaru didn't matter, and… and people didn't talk about me behind my back because I had to leave mysteriously. I had sex with him because I'm missing a piece of myself… and I thought he could fill that… but I know now he didn't. It just… made me feel dirty and tainted… and now Hiashi is going to make me feel that way too using Tokuma. I messed up, Neji… just like I always do."

 _"_ _You don't always mess up,"_ he told her with an audible sigh. She seemed to be making him do a lot of that and her emotions were showing full force as she continued to weep into the phone. _"Look, I'll see what I can do. Maybe Hiashi will send me in a few weeks for the weekend. You can cry on me then alright? I've got a mock-business meeting in about ten minutes. I'll text you when I find out what's going on for sure. Try to hold yourself together and stop messing up if you feel so guilty about it. Do something you're going to be proud of for a change."_

"O-okay," she sniffled while trying to calm down, "I will. Th-thank you, Neji. I-I'm sorry for being a bother. I-I really d-didn't m-me-mean f-for this to happen."

 _"_ _I know,"_ was his response, _"I'll talk to you soon. Sayonara."_

"S-sayonara," came her whimpered reply. The line went dead and her hands dropped into her lap. "I'm such an idiot," she started in on herself.

"You aren't an idiot," a man stated from outside the car. He had black eyes, deep lines on either side of his nose, and long dark hair; in a way, if she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head he looked a lot like Sasuke but older.

"E-excuse m-m-me?" Her heart was racing as she quickly wiped her eyes and sucked the snot back into her nose; it wasn't very attractive but she wasn't about to try to be.

"People make mistakes; that's what makes us human," he elaborated with a shrug.

"D-do you always listen to o-o-other p-people's phone calls?" She couldn't wrap her head around what had just happened with Neji let alone what this guy thought he was doing.

"No," he answered blankly, "but I do when they're in the car I'm looking for."

"Th-the car? Wh-why are y-you looking for TenTen's car?" Her head was spinning again; maybe she had gotten too much sun but nothing was processed properly.

"I was actually looking for Sasuke."

"Wh-why?"

"He's an… acquaintance of mine," the man said in a strained tone.

Something wasn't adding up; why would anyone as old as the man standing outside the car be looking for Sasuke? "I-I'm sorry," Ren began, unsure how to continue at first, "H-he's down by the water with his friends and family."

"Ah, I see," the man said as he stared out towards the beach. A look of longing seemed to grace his profile and the sheer beauty of this man made Ren swallow hard. "Who are you to Sasuke," he asked almost inaudibly.

"Wh-what?" She had to blink several times as she tried to wrap her head around the question.

"What's your relationship?" This time the question was clearer, not as quiet.

"I'm… just his adopted step-sister," she responded lowly. It wasn't the grandest of introductions and she wasn't sure why that depressed her so much. It was almost like she was admitting she didn't belong in the family at all.

"I see," he said with a nod, "Could I sit with you?"

"I-I," she wasn't sure what to say. It felt rude to leave him standing there while she was seated but she didn't know this guy. "S-sure," she finally responded with a nod. TenTen kept a diving knife under the front seat so, worst case scenario, it was there.

"Thank you," he bowed his head and walked over to the passenger side.

"I-it's r-really hot in here," she warned him as he slid in and closed the door.

"That's alright," came his response. "I've been in worse, I assure you. What's your name?"

"I-It's Ren. Ren Hyuga, I-I mean Hyogo, I think. I don't even know anymore."

"You're a very confused person, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," she sighed out and leaned back against the seat. "What's your name?"

He was silent for a moment as he stared at her; it was like he was looking through her while his mind tried to form an answer. "You can call me Karasu, I suppose" he finally stated.

It felt like he was giving her a fake name, but she would let it go. "It's great to meet you, Karasu, I-I suppose."

He gave a low chuckle that almost seemed… sexy. Ren wanted to bash her own head in for that thought. "The pleasure is all mine," he stated with a half-cocked smirk. "Anyway," he continued, "about that phone call of yours, I don't know all the details but I do know some lawyers that could be of assistance if you need them."

"O-oh… w-what?" The Hyuga's brain just wouldn't function! "N-no. It's nothing like that. My mom died and I had to move in with my dad, he's married to Sasuke's mom actually, so I... was really stupid and wanted to spend as much time with my best friend as I could. We ended up having sex and now there are rumors going around that I'm pregnant and that's why I left school; it's not true, of course, but the rumors could damage my family's reputation, apparently, and my uncle is in an uproar." She quickly clamped her lips shut. _"Why did I tell him all that,"_ was the question that bounced around in her head.

"Ah, I see," was all he said as he, seemingly, soaked in the information. "The lawyers work cases of slander as well."

"Th-thank you, b-but I think my uncle should have that covered. He's probably already plotting damage control no matter how the situation plays out. He's very good at that, strategizing I mean."

"Well, if you change your mind just let me know," he told her with a tight smile. "How's Sasuke doing?"

She nodded; of course he wouldn't want to continue talking about her. "Well," she began hesitantly, "He's doing great on the soccer team for school, as far as I know he's getting good grades, he seems to brood a lot, and he's got a lot of friends so I'd say that, mostly, he's doing really well. Have you not seen him recently?"

"Not in quite a while," Karasu admitted.

"How come?"

"I doubt he would want to see me. We didn't part ways on good terms and his ego, from what I've learned, would probably get in the way. I'd rather not talk about it, if that's okay."

His face remained blank but Ren could feel a wave of… sadness… radiating off of his indifferent appearance. "I'm sure he'll forgive you," she told him gently.

"I hope you're right but I feel like today isn't that day; perhaps I need to think things through a while longer," he stated lowly. "Ah," he said as he pulled a notepad and pen from the pocket of his jeans. Effortlessly he wrote something on it and handed it to her saying, "If you ever need someone to talk to, a ride, or even a tour guide, you can give me a call. I'd like to plan my meeting with Sasuke a little better and I'm being selfish by making that offer. I feel like you might be able to help me figure out the right way and time, Ren."

 **THUMP~DA~THUMP~** her heart pounded unevenly in her chest as she took the paper with a shaking hand. "A-alright. I-I guess I'll h-help you reconnect w-with Sasuke for th-those things." Why did she agree? The whole situation felt completely strange.

"Looks like it's time for me to take my leave," Karasu stated as he nodded towards the beach where TenTen and Temari were coming over. "It truly was a pleasure meeting you," he told her as he extended his hand to her. She took it lightly, still feeling weird about the gesture of shaking hands. He raised her hand and placed a feather light kiss upon her knuckles; a gasp escaped her lips in shock. "I hope to hear from you soon."

He exited the car quickly and was out of sight by the time TenTen and Temari reached her. "Wow you look like crap," Temari stated bluntly as she leaned into the open window of the driver's seat. "Wanna talk about it?"

TenTen slid into the passenger seat where Karasu had just been and crinkled her nose. "Remind me to tell Sasuke he wears too much cologne."

The Hyuga stiffened momentarily but then quickly nodded in agreement; she hadn't even noticed Karasu's cologne though. "R-Right. W-well," she began with a sigh, "My cousin Neji called."

"Are you two close? The ringtone said it's ominous when he calls," Temari jested.

"No, we're not and it is never good when he calls. He was calling to warn me that Hiashi-ojisan is sending my cousin Tokuma in a few weeks to check on me. There are rumors about why I left that are concerning for the Hyuga name… It's a really big mess." She was trying to be as vague as possible but knew that wasn't being fair.

"Wow," was all Temari could say.

"What are the rumors about," TenTen questioned.

"That I'm pregnant because I had sex with my best friend Shikamaru before I left," she stated emotionlessly. There was no point hiding it from them; if Tokuma came then Hideki and Jia would be informed and the rest of the family would know soon enough. Every last drop of emotion had left her as soon as Karasu exited the car and she was completely exhausted.

"Wow," Temari said again.

"No freaking way," TenTen whispered in disbelief.

"That's… what Naruto helped me feel better about last night," Ren admitted to TenTen.

"I'm missing a piece of this," Temari stated as she slipped into the backseat, clearly tired of standing.

"Ren commented earlier that Naruto made me feel better and that she'd tell me about it later in private. No big deal," TenTen informed Temari before turning back to Ren, "What are you going to do?"

"What can I do," Ren asked woefully, "Uncle Hiashi is going to ruin me before I even turn seventeen because I'm a disgrace. I can't fight it and I can't change it. I know I'm not pregnant but that's not going to make things much better than if I were. When he sees that I'm not it'll be a big issue about how reckless I always am and how I'll never amount to anything good; that I'll always destroy the Hyuga name I don't deserve."

"That's so harsh," TenTen whispered.

"Just tell him to shove it. You aren't even in Hi no Kuni anymore. It's his problem, not yours," Temari stated with her arms crossed.

"That's not how my family works," Ren sighed out. "I just… have a lot of ass kissing to do."

"We'll think of something that leaves you with some dignity," TenTen promised.

"Yeah, it won't be that big of a deal," Temari tried to be comforting.

"Should we be getting back to everyone else," Ren asked to change the subject.

"They're all packing up and heading this way," TenTen responded, "We'll stop by the pharmacy to get you some aloe vera lotion and a pregnancy test."

"I don't need the test. I'm sure I'll have to take one for Tokuma, anyway," Ren responded.

"Well get it anyway," Temari countered, "That way you're prepared for whatever result the one you think he'll make you take gives."

"Alright," Ren agreed lowly, "I'll hop in the back. I'm sorry I'm such a pain."

"You aren't," TenTen and Temari said at the same time.

"I'll see you guys Monday," Temari continued as she climbed out of the car, "Keep me up to date."

"Please don't tell anyone," Ren begged as she stepped out of the car.

"I won't, I promise," Temari told her with a nod. "See ya."

"Bye," Ren and TenTen said at the same time.

"Here," TenTen held a moist wipe up to Ren as she made her way to the driver's side to take her place behind the wheel, "you really do look like crap."

"Thanks," Ren said with a mirthless chuckle as she began wiping her tear-stained face and climbed into the backseat to wait for Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Konohamaru.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I feel like I wrote this strangely... but I put my heart into it and I do hope that shows. I wasn't originally going to go this way... but I was tired of the beach... and yes... Ren met Omoi, Chojuro, Jugo, Kankuro, and Gaara... but I never planned for her to talk to any of them much... she's shy and they're all already comfortable with each other so it'd be natural (because I've been in that situation) for her to be feeling left out. Anyway. I'd love to hear your thoughts... because quite a big storm is brewing. Thank you for your time and I'm sorry that I can't seem to keep a writing schedule.


	16. New School, New Experiences?

Steel doors slammed closed behind the Hyuga causing her body to jolt as she followed her stepsister into her new school. The halls were so white that the fluorescent lights overhead reflected off them brightly causing Ren to blink so her pale eyes could adjust. Dark blue lockers littered every wall of both the hallways she could see except for the occasional gap left for doorways. This looked like any other high school she had ever seen, not that she had seen that many.

"C'mon," TenTen called back to Ren when she noticed that she wasn't right behind her.

"S-sorry," Ren responded as she quickened her pace in the empty hallway to catch up. They were late and she didn't want to make TenTen mad at her. The morning routine was flawed and would need to be tweaked if all five "kids" were ever going to make it to school on time. The males had made it on time, Ren and TenTen had not been as fortunate due to Hideki's own late start; his car had blocked TenTen in and he was having difficulties getting it to start.

"It's fine, but I really need to get to class," TenTen informed her sister like she didn't already know. Quickly she turned and stepped into a room made of windows on all sides except one. "Good morning, Mr. Yakushi," TenTen chimed as she flashed the man behind the reception desk a dazzling smile.

"Ah, hello, Miss Momochi. You're running late today I see," the man replied to TenTen as he stood from his seat; Ren decided to question TenTen about his way of referring to her at a more acceptable moment in time. His gray hair gave Ren the impression, at first, that he was old but upon closer inspection he seemed to be in his mid-twenties. His dark glasses were pushed up onto his nose, resulting in a glare, before the Hyuga could observe his features further.

"Yes, I know, my step-dad had car trouble and we couldn't get out for about fifteen minutes," TenTen said with a small sigh. She took a step to the side to reveal Ren; she had been half-hiding behind her. "This is my step-sister Ren Hyuga. I know that Hideki already enrolled her and she needed to stop in here."

"Hello, Miss Hyuga, it's a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Yakushi practically purred as a slight smirk formed on his thin lips. "Dean Orochimaru is expecting you. He likes to meet every new student and go over your schedule with you himself. If you'll have a seat I'll let him know you're here. Miss Momochi, I will write you a note and you can be off to class. I'll make sure your sister is taken care of."

"Thank you," TenTen responded with a smile of her own; the joy of actually having a note for being late seemed to lighten her mood. When the pardon was in her hand she quickly hugged Ren and whispered, "I'll see you at lunch. If you need anything before then Sasuke, Suigetsu, Naruto, and Chojuro are in your grade. They'll help you; I'd do it myself but this is my last year here and all of my classes are so far from everyone else's."

"I'm sure I'll be okay," Ren told her as she gave TenTen one last squeeze; inside she was terrified and doubting her own navigational skills.

"See you later, Mr. Yakushi! Take good care of her," the elder sister called over her shoulder as she rushed out of the room and out of sight.

Stiffly Ren sat in the seat closest to the door; a longing raged through her to run out of it, down the hall, and back out the doors she had entered through. The thumping of her heart pulsated her eardrums and a mild ringing began in her left ear as she fiddled with the strap of her beat up, graffiti littered messenger bag. Mr. Yakushi had left and returned without a word and it wasn't until the door behind his desk opened and a pale, lanky man with long black hair, peculiar purple eye makeup, and golden eyes appeared that she noticed much at all.

"Miss Hyuga, welcome. Please come in," the man beckoned to her and she, like the doll she was pretending to be on the outside, stood and entered his office. "Please have a seat," his voice was a sick attempt at velvet causing goose bumps to form upon the Hyuga's forearms and bile to rise up into her throat; he was already creepy. "I have a few things to go over with you. Our school's handbook has a list of all rules and regulations we all must follow," he told her as he handed her a thick booklet, "Also your father has stated that your future career path will be the business industry and so your classes were decided by what would benefit you most in the college acceptance program as well as the ones you will be required to take just to graduate. Your records from Konoha were highly impressive; a few notes from your teachers even suggest that you should have been in more advanced classes. I look forward to watching your academic performance."

After that came a sheet of paper with a spreadsheet of all her classes, locker information, and lunch time; Ren's mind was spinning as she tried to process everything. The handbook would be easy enough to go over, her schedule would've been simple to memorize, but the information the dean had just given her was far too much to process. Her father had assumed she would be following in both his and her mother's whole family's footsteps. "I-I'm sorry," Ren murmured as soon as she realized that Orochimaru was still speaking and she hadn't heard a word of it. Even her class schedule looked like it belonged to someone else; Ren Hyogo was the name written at the top. "I-I'm not, I'm not going into business," she forced out with a croak.

The man before her sat back in his chair and blinked several times. His bizarre purple eye makeup crinkled at the corners of his eyes a few times. It was as if he were having a difficult time processing her words clearly. "You aren't?"

"N-no. My mother and I were looking into colleges for pretty much everything except business. I-I'm sure you c-can tell by looking at me th-that I, I don't meet the description of a businesswoman; it was never in my plans." Her palms were beginning to leave slight wet prints upon her new paperwork as she worked her way through her explanation. A deep breath entered and exited her lungs in a hurry then she continued, "And my name is incorrect on this schedule."

Orochimaru looked the girl over and a small frown began to twitch at his almost invisible, due to his complexion, lips. "Your father registered you as Ren Hyogo and had to fill out a lot of extra paperwork to do it. Your schedule can be altered next year but there's not much time left in this school year. I have a meeting soon but Mr. Yakushi will be able to assist you to your locker and homeroom." He picked up the phone and pushed a key or two, a phone outside rang only once. "Kabuto, please help Miss Hyogo to her locker and class; we need to set a day to go over her plans for the future before the end of the year."

The man hung up and stared at Ren blankly; it was as if he were looking through her deep in thought. "A-arigato," she told him with a bow of her head. "I-I mean thank you."

"You're welcome. There's a map of the school on the back of your handbook. Go through the classes as it is on your schedule for this year; we'll meet another day to plan your schedule for next year."

"Thank you again," Ren told him as she stood and bowed to him properly.

"Have a good day," Orochimaru cooed to her.

A slight shiver ran down her spine and she left the room a little quicker than she had originally intended to.

Mr. Yakushi had been standing at his desk waiting for her. "You're locker number is 2149. I'll take your there first," he told her as he gently placed his hand between her shoulder blades to lead her from his portion of the office.

"Th-thanks," she mumbled as she nodded to him. His hand felt strange and uncomfortable; why did everyone in all of Kaze no Kuni have to touch everyone they've ever met? She would never be used to it. The dean here was creepy and so was his assistant; Ren missed Tsunade and Shizune.

"Not a problem; you're going to love it here. We have the highest graduation rate in all of Kaze no Kuni," he boasted like it was all his doing.

"That's good news. I look forward to it," she muttered weakly but loud enough to be heard. Greif surged through the Hyuga and she almost wrapped her arms around herself; she kept the motion loose despite it not making her feel any better.

"Hey! Mr. Yakushi," a boisterous voice called from behind the duo. Both turned to see a familiar face, Naruto. "I have some papers for you but you weren't in your office!"

"Hello, Mr. Uzumaki," Mr. Yakushi said flatly as the boy approached them. "You are also a sophomore, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," Naruto responded skeptically; he tilted his head to the side like he was trying to figure out what Mr. Yakushi was planning.

"Excellent. I'll take your papers and you can spend a little while longer out of class if you show Miss Hyogo to her locker and class," the silver-haired man bargined; he was pawning Ren off onto Naruto.

"Oh! Hey, Ren-chan! I didn't see you there," Naruto exclaimed as he quickly threw his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. She was hurt that she had been invisible but, then again, when hadn't she been invisible?

"Since you two already know each other, this will be better. Take good care of her, Mr. Uzumaki, and don't taint her with your poor study habits," Kabuto stated as he took the papers from Naruto's hand; they had been getting squished as Naruto squeezed Ren.

"See ya later, Mr. Yakushi," Naruto chimed as the dean's assistant began walking away.

He gave a simple wave back at Naruto and Ren then disappeared behind a corner. The second he was out of sight Ren sank down to her knees. Naruto was safe; she could feel around him.

"Hey, Ren-chan, what's wrong," the blonde asked gently as he knelt down beside her.

He was usually so hyperactive and rambunctious that seeing him so somber made her feel even worse. "N-Naruto," she began as she rubbed her face, "I'm sorry, I just needed a minute to collect myself." She had wanted so badly to tell him everything on her mind but she knew this wasn't the time or place. "I'm okay now, I promise. C-can you show me to my locker and maybe help me figure out what I need for class?"

"Sure," he said as he stood back up and extended his hand to assist her back to her feet. "Oh, hey, that's right next to Sai, Deidara, and Haku's lockers. Watch out for Deidara, he's a real jerk to anyone who's not a senior. Haku's pretty cool but I could've sworn he was a girl... Oh! And he's Mr. Momochi's favorite student; no one get's why. Sai works at that pizza place Sasuke's always going to," Naruto rambled on.

"I-I met Sai, s-so he'll b-be a f-familiar f-face, k-ki-kind of," Ren sputtered out; she was beyond nervous about this whole day.

"That's good. I'm glad you'll know someone around you."

"Y-yeah," Ren whispered.

"Here it is! You'll just need a notebook, pen, pencil, and a book to read for Homeroom, English, Economics, and History. After that will be lunch so you should be alright. We have the same homeroom; that's amazing," Naruto continued on.

"I-I'm glad," Ren admitted.

"Yeah, oh hey and we're both in Ms. Gurren's Biology class, seventh period," Naruto's excitement was growing.

Ren had placed everything in her locker except for Naruto's suggested items but she didn't have a book to read. "A-ah," she tapped Naruto to stop his weird daydream, or whatever it was, that had him turned away from her and staring out into space. "N-Naruto, d-do you have an e-extra b-bo-book?"

"Sure do. It's in homeroom. Are you ready? You're gonna love Octopops!"

"I'm ready," she said with a nod as she closed her locker and twisted the combination. "Octopops?"

"That's just what I call him, his name is Mr. B, but I call him Octopops for reasons you'll understand when you see his classroom. Let's hurry, he's probably gonna lecture me for taking so long."

"I'm sorry Naruto," Ren told him gently.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile and lead her to class, the whole time talking about why his school was so great.

"Wait out here so I can warn him you're here," Naruto requested once they got to the door.

Fear and doubt bubbled within her mind; would Naruto leave her standing outside the classroom for a laugh? She truly hoped not and nodded; worst case was in five minutes she could open the door herself. The blonde boy disappeared behind the door but left it open a crack; Ren could hear him telling the teacher that she was outside.

The door opened further and Ren was met by a tall, dark, muscular man, with blonde hair that was swept back and held into place with a white bandana, glasses over his eyes, and a goatee. His defined face was at her level as he leaned down; she noticed he had a blue tattoo of a bullhorn on his left cheek. He nodded towards the classroom after he was through inspecting her and they both entered. He cleared his throat and got into a bizarre rapper-like pose and spoke with a strange rhythm, "We have a new student, yo. Her name's Ren Hyogo. She just transferred from Konoha, so make sure to make her feel welcome, y'all."

Ren wished for the floor to swallow her whole. The floor was the only place she could stare as she listened to the varied reactions from her peers; some were giggling, some were groaning, others were practically growling as soon as Konoha had been mentioned. She looked up just long enough to find the only empty seat in the classroom and hurried to it. Naruto was right beside her, to her relief, and tossed her the spare book he had. Her cheeks flushed even more when she saw the orange cover and "Icha Icha" wrote in Japanese; this was a book that she had never had an interest in reading. It was going to be a long, long rest of the day.


	17. Change of Plans

**Ren Note:** _Just a heads up... this may be a bit rough around the edges and if the italics in it get confusing, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd let me know. Arigato in advance. There was a guest reviewer last chapter that wasn't very nice and I've considered removing the review altogether, but I'm not going to. People like that aren't going to make me stop writing and maybe that's why I'm ready to post this chapter now... rather than after a lot of fine-tuning that lasts weeks like usual. Thank you, my highly valued readers. I hope this chapter finds you well. Enjoy!_

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Ren stood outside the steel doors of her new high school staring down at her phone; the school day was over and the students without extracurricular activities had long since left. Nearby birds tweeted, engines roared as cars drove down the highway, and a whistle was blown from a field somewhere close by; the Hyuga heard none of it. Instead, she was at a loss for what to do, so wrapped up in her own thoughts that even her awkward and uneventful school day slipped from her mind.

 _Jia_ _: I had to reschedule with the contractor. I'm sorry. Work has your father and I stuck._

The text message was short, informal, and left a lot of questions for the Hyuga. "How am I getting home now," she asked herself quietly after rereading the text for what felt like the hundredth time. TenTen, Suigetsu, and Sasuke all had practice and wouldn't be done for hours.

As the sun beat down on her relentlessly she closed her eyes and sighed. _"It's not like I even know anyone here. What does she expect me to do? Am I supposed to walk nine miles? The buses all leave ten minutes after school lets out,"_ she questioned within her mind. Nothing about the day was going as she had hoped. Every peer she passed by, had a class with, looked at… they all stared at her like she was some strange substance under a microscope; it made her anxious all day and she lost track of how many times she had wished to disappear.

Sweat dripped down from Ren's nose onto her phone screen causing her to lift her fingers up to her eyes; she worried that she was crying on the outside as much as she was on the inside. Anxiety bubbled deep within her abdomen and threatened to reject what little food remained within her stomach; she had already puked once that day. Quickly an idea sprung into her mind; one that left her almost more uneasy than the thought of attempting to walk home.

She couldn't afford to hesitate so she opened her contact list and hit the call button as quickly as she could; if she talked herself out of it, she might melt from the sun or worse, she might accidently run into someone who would be less than kind to her. As the phone rang she prayed that Karin and her bizarre group weren't around. Ren had only seen Karin briefly as she passed her in the hallway while Naruto showed her to her English class; the group she was with laughed hysterically after Karin said something the Hyuga couldn't hear. She tried to tell herself she was just being paranoid but sh-

 _"Hello?"_

"H-hello," she responded. He had answered; why that surprised her, she didn't know. "I-It's H-Hyuga R-Ren," she told him as quickly as she could with her stuttering.

 _"Ah. Hello, Ren-chan. How are you doing today? I wasn't expecting you to call me so soon,"_ there was a hint of amusement in his flat voice.

"Karasu, I really need a ride home from school and you're the only person I know who's not having to stay after school. I-I'm sorry. I'm sure you're busy, I just didn't know who else to call."

 _"I can pick you up in about five minutes. I was just leaving work and luckily that's close by. How did you end up stranded at school?"_

"C-can we talk about it when you get here," her voice was almost inaudible by that point. He found amusement in her pain but the relief she felt in just knowing that she had a ride was enough to leave her almost breathless. There were worries flooding in her mind too but nothing seemed as bad as spending at least another hour at school.

 _"Of course. I will see you shortly,"_ he responded. She could hear him starting the engine of his car.

"See you in a few minutes," she told him before hanging up. "This could be an absolutely terrible idea," she muttered to herself as she stuffed her phone into her backpack. She could've just gone back inside the school, retreated into the library or the office but the likeliness she would run into Orochimaru or Kabuto was far too great; her skin still felt like it had bugs under it just thinking about those two.

With a sigh, the Hyuga planted her butt down on the hot steps and buried her face in her hands while she waited. The doors behind her opened and she nearly jumped out of her skin, turning so fast she could have given herself whiplash. The door shut as quickly as it had opened and the only detail she saw was that the person who had done the opening was blonde with shoulder length hair. "Weird," Ren murmured as she turned back around.

A red Dodge Charger pulled up to the curb near where the Hyuga was sitting and she almost stood up but second-guessed herself. _"I don't even know what he drives,"_ she reminded herself woefully. The tinted window of the driver side rolled down and much to her relief and disdain it was, in fact, Karasu. "H-hey," she called out as she quickly hurried to her feet and started down the stairs.

"Hey," he called back to her as he opened his door. The two of them were a few feet apart within seconds and once Ren stopped short of the curb he cleared his throat. "Were you not expecting a policeman?"

"Aa," she began quietly and took a deep breath. He wasn't dressed like your run-of-the-mill cop; he wore a suit but his badge was clear from its place on his belt. "I-I was n-not," she admitted weakly. When she had met him he was dressed like everyone else at the beach: shorts and a t-shirt. "G-gomenasai," she told him as she bowed to him.

"Don't worry about it," he responded flatly; had she insulted him? "We'll put your bag in the backseat then get out of here, alright? We've got an audience," his voice sounded almost strained as he extended his hand to take her bag.

She handed it to him quickly with a nod and peered over her shoulder to see what he was talking about. Karin and the blonde Ren was sure she saw earlier stood at the school's main entrance talking; they would occasionally look her way then giggle to themselves. Heat pooled in her cheeks as she and Karasu both walked to the passenger side of the car, her book bag already placed on the backseat. "I-I can get it," she told him nervously as he pulled the door open for her.

"If they are going to stare we might as well give them a good example of how a gentleman behaves," he murmured just loud enough for her to hear.

"Arigato. I-I mean thank you." She climbed into the front seat and he closed the door almost soundlessly. The interior of his car was as nice as the body but she didn't have much time to look around before he was back in the driver's seat. "I-I'm really sorry," she told him as he rolled up his window and shifted into drive.

"Think nothing of it," was his only response as he headed towards the exit.

"The red head is why I didn't just stick around to wait on one of my siblings to finish practice. My step-mom was supposed to pick me up but... work is work and she couldn't get away. I-I'm really sorry that I called you; I just don't know anyone else. Today was my first day," she admitted as they pulled out onto the highway.

"So that's why you needed the ride. I'm sure you'll make friends that you can bum a lift from, in time. I don't mind giving you a ride; I offered when we met. Where am I taking you," he asked with nothing more than a quick glance her way.

"A-ano," she stuttered as she played with the lap belt of her seatbelt, "I suppose home but I'm not sure I can direct you there. Th-the address is written down on a piece of paper in my bag."

"Ah. I keep forgetting that you don't know the area." Silence fell between them as Ren shifted in her seat, trying to figure out how to get to her bag without being disrespectful to Karasu or his car and without unbuckling. "Would you like to go for ice cream? Or perhaps you'd like some real food. It's a bit early for dinner, however."

The question came out of nowhere and it caused Ren's thoughts to halt completely. "S-sure," she told him after her stomach growled. The poor girl's cheeks were as red as the exterior of his car. "I-I'm not really picky. I-ice c-cream sounds g-go-good. I-it is a b-bi-bit early f-for dinner." The world needed to open up and swallow her whole. She was about to die from embarrassment.

"Ice cream it is," he responded with a very faint smile upon his pale, thin lips. "There's a place nearby and you can tell me your address then. Perhaps you should memorize it," he suggested.

"I really should. I just haven't paid much attention, I guess. I think I forgot that TenTen won't always be able to hold my hand and I do need to know how to get home," the words poured out of her in a hurry after that, "It's not like I planned to live here, though. I didn't know a damn thing about my _father_ ," she stressed the word, "Until recently. I spent a really long time wondering about him; trying to figure out why he didn't want me. I should be angry, right? Hate his guts? I don't feel anything towards him at all and I think that's way worse. His wife, Jia, she's great in a fake way. I don't know maybe she's not being fake, but she doesn't seem to have time for anyone other than her job. I'm not sure how Konohamaru even came into existence with both their work schedules; I swear they're married to their jobs instead of each other." She finished in a huff and couldn't even force herself to glance at Karasu; where had that rant come from?

"It sounds like you feel like you've been thrown out to sea with nothing more than a plank to keep you afloat," he commented as if her outburst hadn't fazed him in the slightest.

"No kidding. I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from," she told him with a sigh. None of this was like her; she always played everything safe but ever since her mother died, nothing felt safe. She had sex before marriage; she never planned to. Her new home was far from her own. Rumors were spreading around Konoha that she was pregnant but anyone that knew her should've known better; why did no one know better?

"It's alright. I'll listen and be of any assistance I can be. I'm using you as well, remember," he responded.

"H-how are you using me," she asked quietly. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at him openly. He was mysterious to her; an enigma with so many secrets she, for whatever reason, was dying to discover.

"I want to, eventually, reconnect with Sasuke. You may very well be the key to at least getting close," he admitted as he flipped his turn signal on and veered down a road to their right. It felt like they had been driving for hours but it had only been a few minutes.

"W-who are you to him exactly? I... I see a resemblance between the two of you. I mean, you're obviously older," as soon as the words were out she sucked in the cool, air-conditioned air quick enough to cause a high pitched squeak. "Gomenasai! I didn't mean it the way it came out! I'm n-not calling y-yo-you o-ol-old!"

He chuckled lowly and their eyes met for a brief second. His onyx eyes, so much like Sasuke's, held her white orbs for a few seconds more than necessary. The two of them, Ren and Karasu, seemed like complete opposites in every way; they were ostensibly as different as their eyes. Karasu seemed to have his life together while Ren's was falling apart; he had an air of sophistication about him where she was rough and rebellious looking. His hair was long and dark, similar to hers but even that was different because his looked much healthier; everything about him made him seem _better_ than her but he didn't treat her that way. "You're sixteen," he asked as if that was a necessary fact before he responded to her.

"I'll be seventeen in June," she replied slowly; her stomach did a strange flip-flop and it left her on edge. Sweat began to form at the back of her neck despite the refreshingly cool interior of the car.

"My birthday is also in June. I am twenty-one years old, five years older than you; I would hope that I would appear older than Sasuke. Don't fret, you did not offend me. My life has not always been so put together and I am aware that my appearance shows it. My exact relationship to Sasuke will remain a mystery to you. I cannot have you telling him about me beforehand; it would be a shame if he did something rash without hearing me out. Please understand, I do not wish to cause any trouble for you," his voice was near pleading despite his almost monotone voice.

"I won't tell him anything," she responded without much thought. For some reason, even though it meant keeping a secret from everyone, Ren felt the need to do this for the man five years older than her that she had met so recently that she shouldn't trust him at all. The doubt she had been feeling before he showed up had vanished and now there was a strange feeling of contentment that washed over her. "I'll keep your secret if you'll keep mine," she continued.

"It's a deal. I will say nothing about your unfortunate rumors," he told her with a nod of his head. "You can talk to me whenever you'd like if it becomes too much but perhaps you should look into counseling; there are people far more qualified than I am to guide you through the grief of everything on your plate."

"Thank you," she murmured. A therapist wasn't something that had even crossed her mind; would people think she was crazy? Deep within her heart, she knew that she was holding too much in and not coping with any of it but she wasn't sure her pride could handle a trip to a shrink.

"What kind of ice cream do you like," he asked as he put the car in park.

She hadn't even realized they were at the ice cream parlor due to her own thoughts. "Strawberry," she replied as she unbuckled her seat belt.

"Then strawberry it is. I'll take you home after this. Don't forget to get the address out of your bag," he told her as he exited the car. She turned to reach back awkwardly, careful to keep her shoes off the seat and pulled her backpack close enough to grab the paper from its outside pocket. "Milady," he said as he opened her car door and extended his hand. She took it without any hesitation and he casually pulled her to her feet. "Watch your head," he warned as she almost collided with the roof.

"Th-thanks." Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and the chill from his icy fingertips did nothing to calm it. He really was a gentleman and she wasn't sure how to respond to that. In some ways Sasuke seemed to house the same trait on a minuscule level; he would pull the chair out for her, carry anything he deemed 'too heavy' for her, and always seemed to be keeping a close eye on both her and TenTen in public. The Hyuga was certain that Karasu and Sasuke were related; she just had to figure out how.


	18. Crumbling

**Ren Note:** Don't get used to me updating so quickly... I'm just having a stroke of inspiration and can't let it go. I really should be spending more time between updates but I'm trying to get this out here as fast as possible. I'm sorry if this isn't a smooth read... or is confusing... I'm just in a zone where I feel like I have to post as soon as I've finished writing/reading through it. If things are too poorly done I'll go through and fix them later... right now, loves, you have a restless author at your disposal.

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Ren thanked Karasu as she rushed out of his car and collected her bag from the back seat. The two had stopped for ice cream like planned but they had also gone to a traditional Japanese café for tea and dango. They laughed and talked like old friends, even running into a man named Kisame who was apparently Karasu's partner. It was a pleasant experience that left the sixteen-year-old feeling like she fit in better with the two adults than she did other teens; time had been lost to the trio. "Th-thank you, again," she told him once more.

"Don't mention it," he replied with a ghost of a smile forming on his thin lips, "I had fun."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Me too," she admitted with a shy smile spreading across her own lips. She never imagined she would have so much in common with the older man; they even enjoyed the same music.

"We should do this again; maybe when you have more time," he suggested.

"I-I'd really l-like tha-at," her voice squeaked at the end and heat pooled in her cheeks. "S-Sayonara," she murmured as she closed the door to his Charger. He pulled out of the driveway with her waving at him the whole way. His tinted windows prevented her from seeing if he waved back but she pretended in her mind that he did.

A soft sigh emanated from deep within her chest as he pulled out of sight and she was left standing alone in the driveway to the house that still didn't feel like home. Her messenger bag was thrown up higher onto her narrow shoulders and she turned on her heels to head into the house. Her heart stopped when she saw a very familiar Ninja motorcycle parked outside the garage. "W-what's he doing home already," Ren pondered out loud as she hurried up to the front door and began pulling out her house key.

"Where the hell have you been," Sasuke was asking before the door was even completely opened; Ren almost jumped out of her combat boots because the action had happened so quickly.

"I-I was w-with a n-new f-fr-friend," she told him nervously. This was going to be messy if she didn't tread lightly with her answers; she couldn't tell Sasuke she was with Karasu because he had asked her not to. On the other hand, Kisame hadn't referred to Karasu as 'Karasu' at all; Kisame had called Karasu 'Itachi'. The Hyuga had suspected he hadn't used his real name when he introduced himself to her but solid proof hadn't come until Kisame showed up.

"A friend? School was let out three hours ago," he continued, blocking her entrance to the house by leaning his hands against the door and doorjamb, arms spread, and his face was so close to hers that she could feel his hot breath brush against her cheek.

"I-I kn-know," she whispered and turned her head to look at the ground near the driveway. "P-please let me I-in," she requested, "its m-my h-ho-home too." She felt like he was locking her out of the only place she could go just by standing there trying to look intimidating; it was working for him.

A sigh left his lips and he stood up straighter to let her into the house. Apparently, he realized he couldn't stand there blocking her way and arguing with her. He closed the door and was on her heels as soon as she had her shoes off, walking into the living room. "Where were you?"

"I-I went f-for ice cream a-and dango," she told him honestly. "M-my friend loves Japanese cafes and s-since Hi n-no Kuni is J-Japanese, he wanted t-to make me feel m-more at home."

"So you were out with a guy eating sweets and couldn't answer your phone," the older teen spat out.

She had been heading towards the bedroom she shared with TenTen but his words and his tone made her halt. Everyone in this house seemed to think they could dictate everything she did, everyone except TenTen. Paper, her cell phone, and pencils fell out of her bag as it tumbled to the floor and she spun around. "I-I didn't know what else to do! H-he picked m-me up like I asked! Y-your mother canceled on me and everyone else had left or was at practice! What was I s-supposed to do? Wait around for your girlfriend to start crap with me so that you could finish soccer practice? Or maybe I was supposed to walk home in the heat I'm not used to," she was shouting by this point and Sasuke had actually taken a small step back.

"Karin is not my girlfriend. I've been calling and texting you for two hours," he retorted, his voice was like venom. "I heard some girls talking about how you got into a car with an older man so I left fucking practice to try to find you! How stupid can you get?!"

"I-I'm not stupid! Karasu is my friend and yes, he's older but he's not some rapist or kidnapper! He's a detective that I happened to meet this past weekend!" She stomped her foot and could feel the heat from her anger collecting in her face.

"When did you have a chance to meet him this past weekend?!"

"At the beach!"

"What do you even know about him," Sasuke hissed out, venom practically seeping from his lips.

"A-a lot more than I do about you," she retorted as she squatted down to pick up the contents of her bag. He grabbed her by her elbow and hoisted her upright before pinning her back to the wall. Her wrists were both pinned above her head before she had time to process what was happening. "L-let me go! Wh-what is your problem?!"

"You're an idiot," he bit out but his face softened slightly. Ren quickly sucked in air as she watched the red tint leave his onyx eyes. "You scared the shit out of me," he admitted weakly as his forehead crashed gently against hers.

"I-I'm sorry," she told him breathlessly. Her heart pounded erratically against her chest as she looked up at him, careful not to move too much. "I-I didn't know what else to do," she admitted and he released her arms. Without thought, she wrapped them around Sasuke and sighed softly. "I trust him so, please, trust me," she was practically begging him at this point, "He's been extremely honest with me and he really is just trying to help me adjust."

A gasp escaped Ren's slightly parted lips as Sasuke stepped even closer to her, his body was now against hers loosely and his arms snaked around her back tightly. "You don't need his help to adjust. That's what _we_ ," he motioned towards the family portrait on the wall beside them, "are for. You're my _sister_ and it's my job to look out for you."

Her heart nearly stopped beating completely as his words echoed through her mind. Their eyes were locked on each other and it was like the world around them had froze; only their breaths mixing together could be heard. Why did that word, sister, hurt so much? The world around them erupted back to life as 'Cake By The Ocean' began playing from Ren's phone. "I need to take that," she whispered as the chorus played on, almost half over despite how short of a time they both felt had passed.

"At least let me know where you're going from now on," he asked as he slowly lifted away from her and took a step back.

Sasuke had only looked vulnerable one other time when he was asleep, and it left a rock in the pit of her stomach. "I-I will," she agreed without hesitation. She picked up her phone from its place near her feet and hit the answer button as her step-brother turned to walk back towards the living room. "Konbanwa, Nara-san," she answered breathlessly.

 _"Konbanwa, Ren-chan,"_ Shikaku's voice came through the phone. _"My lazy son was supposed to call you a few hours ago. I was walking to my car from the office and a reporter approached me about the_ situation _between you and Shikamaru. I just wanted to warn you about that."_

"A-Arigato, Nara-san," she whispered breathlessly. "Wh-what now," she asked him in Japanese, just in case Sasuke was still within hearing distance.

 _"Expect a call from your uncle, even if you've already received one. I refused to comment which will probably make them go even crazier about it. It's troublesome but I didn't want to give them anything they could twist around later,"_ Shikaku stated with a sigh. He was speaking Japanese too, much to the Hyuga's relief.

The whole situation was crazy; no one had ever cared about the girl while she was in Hi no Kuni but now that she was gone it seemed the press was having a field day simply because this could damage the Hyuga reputation. "A-arigato, Nara-san," she told him again as she gathered up her things. "I-I really appreciate the heads up. I haven't heard from Hiashi-ojiisan yet but I have from Neji-niisan. Apparently he," she paused long enough to swallow the lump in her throat, "He'll be sending Tokuma-san f-for p-pr-proof." Her stomach twisted into a knot causing the dango and ice cream she had eaten to threaten to make a second appearance.

 _"I hate to say this because your family invests in my business, but maybe you should get in contact with a lawyer; it couldn't hurt to learn what your options are. Legally he can't submit you to anything without parental consent and even then it violates your privacy."_

The girl couldn't remember walking down the hallway, throwing her bag onto her bed, or sitting on the edge of it but when she blinked she noticed the familiar walls and paintings within TenTen's room. "I'll do what he asks. It's easier than fighting him," she admitted weakly. Hyuga Hiashi was not a man to be trifled with; she would bend to his will for now.

 _"Good luck, Ren-chan. Try to prepare yourself as best you can then. I still think your smartest choice would be legal aid,"_ Shikaku pushed the subject further.

"I'll take your advice into consideration. Arigato, for everything," she whispered into the phone as tears stung at her eyes.

 _"I'm here if you need anything,"_ he told her gently.

"A-arigato," she murmured as her heart clinched and her voice cracked. He would help her with everything except staying in Hi no Kuni.

 _"Sayonara, Ren-chan,"_ his voice sounded strained.

"Sayonara," she replied flatly before hanging up. Her hands were over her mouth and her eyes shut tightly before her cellphone even landed on her lap. A stifled sob resonated throughout the room and it was taking everything she had to hold back a full-blown wail.

The ground beneath her barely stable feet was crumbling and she couldn't see a way out of the hole she felt herself falling into. Her mother had just died, she had to leave her best friend, and rumors threatened to ruin her life as well as her whole clan's. The media had been _waiting_ for a Hyuga scandal because Hiashi had always limited public awareness of their affairs. They were eating this recent development up with a spoon and planned to bring an end to the Hyuga reign over politics, the production of high tech security systems, and foreign imports. One step at a time they hoped to make the Hyuga empire fall. The plan was simple to figure out: create doubt about their propriety to cause tensions to form between the Hyuga's and their business partners... then watch them crumble from the inside out while gaining access to the files Hiashi and his predecessors had filed away; it was a scheme that even the teenager could figure out.

Another sob escaped her lips, muffled barely by her hands as she realized this was all her doing. So much pressure and expectations should not be placed on a teenage girl; she was only sixteen years old and couldn't be expected to be perfect. She prayed to Kami silently that the press would fail to ruin her family; she was just one person so surely she couldn't make the whole Hyuga corporation crumble. It took everything she had to remember to trust her uncle to fix her mess; this was what he specialized in and was good at. Her birth had been swept under the rug and surely this would be too.

The ominous ringtone she had set for Neji blared through the room as she sniffled, trying to get her emotions under control. "Konbanwa, Neji-niisan," she whispered into the phone flatly after pressing the answer button.

 _"I guess you already know,"_ he stated in his own flat tone.

"S-sort of," she admitted weakly as she ran her fingers through her long hair. It was difficult to keep so many emotions out of her voice; she assumed she had failed since it was obvious by the sigh that echoed through the phone that he knew she was upset. "N-Nara-san called to tell me that a reporter tried to get a comment out of him today."

 _"There are articles online about it already. His refusal to comment has everyone speculating. One magazine is standing up for you and trying to stick to facts but... the others are having a hay day. Tokuma's trip has been moved to the end of this week. I don't have all the details but Hiashi-sama is pushing for this mess to be behind us. He's playing it off as the rumors aren't true an-"_

"Th-they aren't true!"

 _"Ahem. He's trying to convince everyone that it's nothing more than teenage gossip."_

"Aa," was all she could mutter. "I didn't mean for this to happen," she whispered into the phone.

 _"I know. Hinata-sama would like to know how your first day of school went,"_ he quickly changed the subject.

"I-it was alright," she responded. There were some things she didn't feel comfortable sharing with her older cousin; her uneasiness about school, Karin, and her own invisibility was on that list.

 _"She will be pleased to hear that. I'll try to keep you informed on everything that develops here but try to lay low; don't draw attention to yourself and remember that Hiashi has handled worse than this. As long as you aren't pregnant-"_

"I'm not!"

 _"As long as you aren't there's not much to worry about,"_ he finished his statement with irritation lacing his voice.

"G-gomenasai, Neji," she murmured as she flopped down on her bed, "I-I'm just really stressed. I didn't mean to yell at you."

 _"It's alright, Ren. Try to relax and I'll call if anything changes. Be prepared for Tokuma's visit."_

"I will," she replied robotically. "Oyasumi, Neji."

 _"Oyasumi,"_ he told her before hanging up.

The beep her phone made after the call ended startled her slightly. Everything was messed up and she didn't know how to handle it. There was homework in her bag waiting to be finished but instead, she slipped off her skinny jeans, ignoring the open door, and climbed into her bed. She had things to do but sleep felt like the safest place for her at that moment.


	19. And So It Begins

Red hair, brown hair, black hair, blue, blonde, purple, lime green… The colors were all blending together, hair styles made no difference. Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, gray…. Their colors blended too. Every face looked the same and every name escaped her mind except one… Karin. She hadn't been in gym class the day before and so Ren was sure she had no classes with the girl; she was wrong. Karin was the focal point of her mind; even with the anxiety that came with seeing her she was safer to think about than everything that had happened recently.

"Hyogo," the gym teacher, Momochi Zabuza shouted out from his place at the sidelines. The students were all playing basketball and Ren had frozen the moment her eyes landed on Karin. "If you don't participate, you will fail," he called out to her.

"G-gomenasai, I'm sorry," she squeaked out but her feet wouldn't move. Everything around her was crashing down; she was drowning. The moment she stepped onto the court she knew there was a probability that Karin would start something with her; it would be like the mall all over again and this time there was more at stake than disappointing her _father._

"She can't play," Karin called out with a giggle as she threw the ball to one of her friends, the blonde from the day before.

"Yeah, it's not safe for her baby," the blonde called out. Her icy blue eyes met the Hyuga's widened pale white ones and Ren's heart stopped.

"Hey, just because we read that in, like, all of Konoha's magazines doesn't mean it's true or anything," another girl called out as she stole the ball from the blonde. Her hair was long, red, and spiky; it was held back with a bandana much like Mr. B's. Her dark skin glimmered with sweat as it ran down the bridge of her nose directly between her amber eyes.

Mr. Momochi blew the whistle around his neck and shouted out, "That's enough! Karin, Samui, and Karui, go to my office now!"

Ren didn't stick around to hear what else he shouted. Her feet had her running out the oak doors to the gymnasium and down the hallway before she even realized she had moved at all. Tears stung at the back of her white eyes and she fought to hold them back harder than she had ever done before. It made little difference; tears streamed down the sides of her face as she ran through the hallways, unsure where she was running to because she was unable to find the school's exit. She didn't care that her clothes, books, and personal effects were still in the locker room; all she cared about was getting away. She could never show her face here again, never.

Through blurry vision the Hyuga saw Mr. Momochi's tall, fair figure and spiky black hair walking her direction. He had been hard on her the day before, claiming he wanted to see if Konoha students could keep up with his; Ren learned later that he was pushing her because of who her father is. Momochi Zabuza had once been married to Hyogo Jia; he was TenTen's father, Suigetsu and Sasuke's adopted father. He hated Hyogo Hideki so having Ren as his student was the perfect opportunity to enact some vengeance; Konohamaru would be in trouble when he got to high school too.

Quickly Ren darted to the first safe place she could find, the girl's bathroom close to the gym; she had ran practically in a circle. It was empty and so the Hyuga locked herself in a stall, sat on the toilet, and curled up into a ball so she could sob in peace. She wanted to disappear, to fade away. Karin had purposely looked up Konoha's magazine articles; she had to have.

For the millionth time, Ren wanted her mother. Naoma would've protected her from the harshness of the world with everything she had; she would have told Ren inspiring things to remind her that this wasn't the end of the journey; it was just a bump in the road. Naoma was perfectly imperfect and loved her daughter so much that she would never have allowed things to happen this way. Naoma was gone; all that remained of her was Ren.

She knew her sobs were loud and she didn't care; Ren wanted her mother. The smiles of Hyuga Naoma were rare but when she graced you with one the whole world lit up and returned the motion. Her hugs were warmth like Ren had never experienced elsewhere, always there when she had a bad day. A simple 'I love you' that so many people, including Ren, took for granted from their parents was something the Hyuga desperately needed to hear. Naoma was gone and no one would save her from the mess she had gotten herself into.

"Hyogo," Mr. Momochi's deep voice called into the bathroom from the doorway; as a man he couldn't enter.

"Go away," she called back between sobs. She just wanted to be alone; fate had already decided she was supposed to be alone, anyway.

"Fine," he grunted out and the door to the bathroom closed once more.

Fate truly was a fickle thing; the Hyuga laughed mirthlessly as she blew her nose on five sheets of the horrible one-ply toilet paper. The heels of her hands dug into her white eyes as she fought to stop crying; it was no use. Naoma, her reason for life, was dead and could never say those words Ren desperately needed to hear. 'I still love you.' She hadn't known any of this would happen when she went to bed with Shikamaru; the plan was to fill the gaping hole in her heart that her mother had left with the love of her best friend.

Now she had at least three girls that hated her so much they would spread those horrible rumors… She would have to face Hideki while he tried to act like the father he had never been to her. This would be all her fault and there would be only coldness received from him. Her actions would probably make Jia cry again; wanting to fix the broken Hyuga with false affection that only came when she had a moment off work. Ren wished she were dead; then she would be with her mother and never have to worry about hurting anyone anymore. Nothing good would ever come out of her mother's death; there was no way to make this fresh start matter like her favorite uncle had suggested; the past was following her around like a ball and chain strapped to her ankle.

For the first time in her life, Ren missed Sakura and Ino's gabbing about Kiba while she pretended she wasn't paying attention to Mitarashi-san. She missed Gai-sensei pushing her and the rest of the soccer team beyond their limit trying to prepare for the next big game. She missed the bus ride home where Kiba would announce his next big prank idea; it was always shut down before he could pull it off because the bus drive always kept an eye on him. She missed home.

The bathroom door creaked open again and Ren held her breath to stifle all sound. "Ren-chan," a feminine voice called into the bathroom. "I know you're still in here," the woman said as the door closed. "Will you come out and talk to me? I just want to talk. Please don't make this situation any harder than it has to be; you're already in trouble for running out of class. Let me help you."

"No one can help me," Ren mumbled as she wiped her eyes once more, this time determined to keep her tears in. The bathroom stall latch was released and the Hyuga stepped out with her head down. She knew if she looked up she would see Guren's light blue hair kept in a spiky ponytail and dark eyes focused in on her.

"What happened? Zabuza said that there were girls who implied you were pregnant; he was in the middle of reprimanding them and you took off," her soft voice left her red stained lips slowly.

"I can't take it," Ren whispered, finally lifting her red-rimmed eyes to stare into her Biology teacher's. "There are rumors in Konoha that I left because I was pregnant. My mother died and my father, who I had never met, lives here; that's why I moved. I'm not pregnant but my uncle cannot quiet the rumors yet. I didn't think anyone here would know about them; I'm being crucified by the press so they can try to take down my uncle. I know I shouldn't have run but I didn't even think. I just had to get away from everyone's eyes on me." Her arms wrapped around her torso tightly; she needed the comfort of a hug yet knew one would not be given. Ren was vulnerable.

Guren was silent as she studied Ren. Finally a sigh left her lips and she turned away. "I'll be right back; don't go anywhere."

She disappeared through the door and Ren could hear whispers but they weren't clear. It was an opportune moment to splash her face with cold water, so she did; she had to shut down all emotion. The wetness blended with her tears and pulled them down the drain with it. Its coolness numbed her features and relieved some of the redness, leaving only a mask of indifference.

The door opened again but this time Mr. Momochi entered with Guren. "So you're a celebrity, are you," he asked as he leaned against the wall by the mirrors.

"Hardly," she murmured. That thought had never occurred to her.

"Famous enough to get your name in the tabloids and be the talk around school," he countered.

"No," Ren stated flatly. Her eyes were half-lidded and she was transformed into an emotionless doll; she was acting as the _perfect_ Hyuga. "My family is famous enough to be in the tabloids. I'm just a nobody they want to use to destroy my uncle's hold on his trade. Kids at Konoha High started the rumor; I did leave in a big hurry without explanation. My mother died and I had nowhere else to go. That meant I moved in with the man who fathered me but I had never met, and his family. I didn't know any of them existed until my uncle was shoving that information into my hands like any other business transaction. This was supposed to be a good change, according to my favorite uncle."

"Reacting to it only makes these brats act worse towards you," Mr. Momochi snapped at her. She didn't even flinch.

"Zabuza," Guren hissed as she lifted her hand to his shoulder. "That doesn't help anything. Our school has a no bullying policy so, if anyone else gives you more trouble, you can come to one of us. We need to go fill Kabuto and Orochimaru in on what's happened; let them deal with Karin, Samui, and Karui."

"Fine," Zabuza grunted out.

"They will be calling my father, won't they," Ren asked in a monotone voice that was starting to scare her. Things were really bad when she could appear so passive despite the storm swirling within her heart and mind.

"Yeah," Guren sighed out, "but don't worry about it much. You ran out of class but it's not that big of a deal. Just don't make a habit out of it."

"Right," Ren murmured as she allowed Zabuza to lead the way out of the girl's bathroom with Guren right beside her.


	20. A Caged Raven

"Did you hear," a boy asked his friend as they walked past the office, "that girl in there totally ran out of gym class because Karin told everyone she's pregnant!" A wave of horror washed over Ren; why did the office have to be made up of practically all windows _and_ keep the door open? She felt a raven caught in the wild only to have its wings clipped and be put on display in a cage… Everyone could see her sitting there, waiting on Orochimaru to finish talking to Mr. Momochi and Ms. Guren. After they left there would be more waiting as the dean would have to call her _father_ ; even when only said in thought, the word tasted bitter.

"I'd probably run too if Karin said something so awful about me," the other boy told him with a shudder. Ren relaxed, ever so slightly. Her features were schooled to remain completely indifferent but her muscles were so stiff that they were beginning to hurt.

"Yeah, but what if it's true," the first asked. She stiffened again. How long did it take to walk by the office? Why the hell did Mr. Yakushi have to keep the door open? She could hear everyone whispering as they walked by; these boys were just talking louder than most. _"Idiots,"_ she growled in her mind.

"Since when can we believe anything Karin says," the second countered, "Three weeks she tried to say that Sai was gay with Deidara."

"That's true enough, I guess. Still, if she starts getting fat, we know."

It was taking everything Ren had not to stand up and say something. She hated being a Hyuga… It was like beings a piece of graphite in the earth's mantle; the pressure and heat were meant to shape you into a diamond. Some big life event, decided by Hiashi, would be the kimberlite that grasped onto you and pulled you to the surface once you were completed; the perfect Hyuga. She was going to crack under all the pressure.

"Don't let them bother you," Mr. Yakushi stated smoothly, "They will forget all about it within a week or two. I would assume it would be much less than that since the final school dance is coming up in three weeks; they'll be too busy planning for that to worry about you running out of gym class."

Internally she imagined herself scooting away from his honeyed voice, externally she remained blank. That dance was something she was going to thoroughly avoid at all costs; no force on earth would be able to make her go. "That is good to know," Ren responded flatly. Her eyes met Kabuto's and bile began to rise into her throat; his motions reminded her of a character from Boruto, the evil henchman of one of the villains.

Zabuza and Guren chose that moment to exit Orochimaru's office. "I guess I'll see you in class, try not to be late," Guren told her gently, "I'm sure Mr. Momochi can give you a note if you are, however." She had a smug look as her amber eyes shifted to the tall man beside her.

"Yeah, sure thing. Your stuff's still in the locker room so you're going to need to get that and change clothes. You shouldn't go to your last class in gym clothes," his voice was a little softer than it had been before.

"You'd better get a move on, then. Class starts in five minutes," Mr. Yakushi stated from his place behind his desk; he didn't even look up from his paperwork.

"See you in a few minutes," Guren called out as she walked out the door.

"Let's go," Zabuza demanded lightly. It was a conundrum. His words were harsh but his tone…it was lighter than it had ever been towards her.

"Alright," Ren responded as she stood up and adjusted the white tee shirt with red trim so that it was back where it belonged. She didn't want to go to class in the mid-thigh length red shorts she was wearing anyway. Gym, it seemed, was one place where "shorts must be fingertip length" didn't apply.

The two walked down the hallway in silence until Ren's curiosity bubbled up too greatly. The hallway they were in was nearly deserted because gym didn't have a class seventh period and everyone had been in a hurry to get to other classes. "I thought Orochimaru-sama was calling Hideki," she stated but it came out like a question.

"It turns out he's too busy to come to the school. We had a phone conference with him and he's as stuck up as he's ever been. Told us he would deal with you when he gets home and to send you back to class, so that's what we are going to do. It's not like you got into a fight or purposely skipped class," he stopped speaking long enough to glance down at her. The confusion and distaste must have been clear on her features. "I left out the part about you running."

"Why would you do that, Momochi-sensei," the question was out before she could bite her tongue. This teacher of hers was an enigma; one minute he seemed to hate her guts but now he was actually being… nice?

"Tch," he grunted out and looked away from her, "Hideki's an asshole, even to you it seems, so I figured I should cut you a break. I don't know what Jia sees in him but I sure as hell don't see it. I'm not gonna throw you under the bus when you were just acting on instinct. No one got hurt and I'm sure the other students are going to love you for getting them out of running drills today."

A light laugh escaped Ren and she quickly covered her mouth to contain any more giggles. The action caused Zabuza to raise an eyebrow to her. "I'm sorry; I just can't believe a teacher called my _father_ ," she scrunched up her nose at the word, "an asshole."

"Go get dressed and I'll write you a note," he told her with a chuckle as he walked past the girl's locker room.

"Alright," Ren replied as she bowed to him. "Thank you." It was just a habit; you showed respect to your teachers back in Hi no Kuni. He gave her a weird look then disappeared into the gym. A sigh escaped her and she hurried into the room and to her locker.

* * *

The instant the final bell rang Ren was standing and rushing out the door; she took the time to smile at her teacher but that was about it. Her locker was across the school but if she hurried there she could wait for TenTen instead of the other way around.

"Hey, Ren-chan, wait up," Naruto called out from behind her; he was in her biology class. With a small sigh she turned around and forced a small smile; it wasn't that she didn't like Naruto, she was just ready to go home and face her fate. "What was that all about, in class I mean," he asked when he was close enough to speak quietly.

"What do you mean," she asked as she turned and began walking. Naruto, as expected, walked right beside her.

"I mean that you came in late, there are rumors going around that you were in the office because you ran out of gym, Karin supposedly told people you're pregnant, and then Ms. Guren was really keeping an eye on you. Everyone noticed," he rambled on quickly.

She groaned internally and closed her eyes tightly for a split second. "I did run out of gym class," she admitted; there was no point in denying it, "Karin implied that I'm pregnant, at least according to magazines in Konoha. I was in the office because I ran from class. They called Hideki but he didn't even make an effort to come down here, so I was sent on to class. I was late because I still had to change and get my stuff from the gym locker. As for Guren-sensei," Ren sucked in a deep breath of air, "She's the one who came to talk to me. She's really nice but I know that everyone noticed exactly how nice she was being. It might make everything worse if they think she's giving me special treatment."

"I can't believe Karin did that," Naruto muttered, "She's my cousin so I always want to see her as the nice girl I grew up with, ya know? I don't know what happened between middle school and high school to make her this way, but part of me wants to blame it on Sasuke."

"What'd Sasuke do," Ren pondered aloud. It was a really long walk to her locker.

"He didn't really do anything. He's just got that 'I'm too cool to be here' and 'you'll never understand me or my mood swings' vibe. Girls eat that crap up and Karin is no exception," Naruto stated with a shrug.

"I see. I still don't know what her problem is with me," Ren stated flatly. It was a big mess she didn't even know how to clean up.

"Hey guys," another guy called from to their right. Omoi squeezed between two girls that were standing in front of his locker, practically blocking him in. "What's up? Have you heard the rumors, Ren?"

"Y-yes," she admitted.

"They aren't true," Naruto stated for her.

"I kind of figured that but this is going to cause a lot of problems for you if you aren't careful. People don't forget something like this unless something bigger comes along," Omoi responded after popping a lollipop into his mouth. "It'll be a really big mess if you let it get that way."

"Yeah, I know," Ren murmured. Her eyes fell down to her shoes; why was her locker so far away?

"This is my locker. I'll see you tomorrow," Naruto called to Omoi and Ren as he broke away from them to go to his locker and head home.

"See you tomorrow," Omoi called back.

"Sayonara," Ren said with a wave. It was just her and Omoi now and she wasn't sure why he was even still walking with her. They'd never had a one on one conversation before and she couldn't remember ever saying more than three sentences to him in one conversation; they ate lunch together that week but that was about it.

"So are you gonna be okay? Karui and I grew up together so she told me what happened. She's pretty upset that she got lumped in with Samui and Karin; she was trying to stick up for you," Omoi cut through the thick silence.

"I didn't know what her angle was," Ren admitted, "I also didn't know what to do… so I was a coward and ran off. It'll be alright, it has to be."

"Yeah, but you should really tread carefully until this blows over. Last year one of the seniors got pregnant and everyone said some pretty nasty stuff. She ended up dropping out of school and no one knows what happened to her after that," he announced.

"I'm not worried about that because I'm not pregnant. I know I can't run away or it'll make things worse. I don't know," she paused as she raked her fingers through her dark, long hair, "I need to just ignore it but it's hard. My family's taking a hit for that stupid rumor back home but I never expected it to follow me here."

Nothing was going as she had hoped and the despair from it threatened to consume her whole being; there was no foreseeable good that could come from it. Her heart was heavy and threatened to shatter into a million pieces; for a split second, she thought that maybe Karasu had been right… she needed to go to counseling.

"With the way the internet has us all connected, I can't say I'm surprised. You can look up anything about anyone in the world now."

"That's true; I just hoped it wouldn't come to this. I'll be so glad when it fizzles out because if today is any indication of what I'm going to face… I don't know if I'm strong enough," she muttered.

"You've got your family and friends for support. We'll back you one hundred and ten percent," Omoi stated nonchalantly.

 _"_ _If he'd have been energetic about it, he would've sounded just like Lee,"_ she mused silently to herself. Her green-obsessed ex-teammate was always shouting about giving everything your all; Omoi seemed determined to do the very same. "Thank you but it's just not possible to give more than one hundred percent of anything." She couldn't let it slide; she spent far too long with Shikamaru.

"That's true," Omoi said with a chuckle as he glanced over at her, "But I'm going to try anyway. You seem like a really cool person and you get along with Naruto better than a lot of people; I trust his judgment so I'll call you my friend. I always stick by my comrades so don't worry, I've got your back."

"Thanks, Omoi," she told him sincerely. If she hadn't been raised in such a cold clan she would have cried from the sincerity in his voice. "That makes me feel a lot better," she told him honestly. Some of the darkness lifted away from her heart and, as she stared into his dark eyes, she saw a hint of light for the first time that whole day.

"That's what friends are for. I'll see you later, Karui's bound to leave without me if I don't hurry," he stated before he rushed off.

The day hadn't been a complete and utter disaster, but it had come pretty close. With steeled resolve, she rushed to her locker. She still had to face Hideki and the rest of his family; with any fortune, she would come out of it with only a few wounds to lick.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I've finally, finally decided on the pairing... and I'm probably going to disappoint... like... everyone. If I do, I'm sorry. I won't reveal it yet but... eventually, we'll get to that point. There's probably gonna be romances in between now and Ren's "correct" relationship... So maybe it'll be a surprise. We're in this one for the long hall... She's gotta make something out of herself still, after all. Arigato, for your time and patience.


	21. Coming Undone

Trees, buildings, and other cars whizzed by as TenTen drove Ren home to await her fate. Ren was staring out the passenger window but saw none of it; everything passed her by in a blur that her unfocused eyes didn't even register. The car ride was as silent as their meet-up after school; they were both saying the bare minimum because Ren was giving off an unapproachable vibe. The Hyuga wasn't in a talking mood; her mind was too preoccupied by everything that had happened and the bubbling anxiety within her stomach left her feeling sick. She felt like a tightly wound ball of string one tug away from coming completely unraveled. She got into trouble on her second day of school; Ren had never been in any real trouble before in her life. What would Hideki do? Why did she even care what he thought to begin with… he'd never cared about her before.

"Are you going to tell me what happened or am I gonna have to rely on rumors," TenTen finally asked gently as she glanced over at Ren.

The silence was clearly eating away at her and Ren felt awful for keeping her in the dark. Reluctantly the Hyuga turned to look at her older sister. "I ran out of gym because Karin told your dad that I couldn't play in gym class then one of her friends, Samui I guess was her name, told everyone that I'm pregnant. Then Karui tried to tell them that they shouldn't say stuff like that just because they read it in a magazine. Maybe they really think I am and don't know that they're just ruining me. I'm sure Karin will play it off as genuine concern," Ren's voice was weak as she recounted the day's events.

"Wow," TenTen muttered. "What about when you were sitting in the office? Rumor is the nurse was giving you a pregnancy test and Mr. Yakushi was writing notes for all of your teachers about it."

A groan escaped Ren's lips and she dug the heel of her hand into her left eye; she hadn't realized how quickly rumors would spread or how warped they would get. "I was taken to the office by Guren-sensei and your dad after I had a meltdown in the bathroom. I was sitting out there with Yakushi-san because the dean was having a conference with both teachers. They called Hideki and he couldn't break away from work," her voice turned sour when she got to Hideki, "so they sent me back to class and it was horrible. Everyone kept staring at me and Guren-sensei was too nice to me. Everyone's going to think I'm a teacher's pet in Biology class." Her head thumped lightly against the window as she placed it there. They were practically home which meant a whole new set of problems.

"Wow," TenTen said again. "That's rough. I was called a lesbian half of my freshman year because I'm not feminine enough, I guess. It really sucks and it's hard to get over but eventually they do stop being such assholes; it just usually means they've switched targets. That may be the worst part about it."

A sigh escaped Ren's lips when she saw Hideki's car in the garage; they arrived home too quickly for her liking. "I guess he wants to get this out of the way as much as I never want it to happen," she muttered.

"He'll take you into his office, lecture you, and then send you to our room. It won't be that big of a deal. Tune him out if you have to; he's not one to talk very long about anything," TenTen tried to reassure her.

"Thanks," Ren responded weakly as the two got out of the car.

Ren didn't even have her bag over her shoulder before Hideki appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the garage. His white button-down top was a little disheveled and his tie was loosened awkwardly around his neck. He looked like a hot mess in the Hyuga's opinion. "Ren, come with me into the office," he told her flatly before turning and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Good luck," TenTen whispered as Ren followed him.

The walk was short but felt like it took an eternity; every step felt weighed down by invisible chains wrapped around the girl's legs. She had never been to his home office before but it was exactly as she expected it to be; sterile and unemotional. "Y-you wanted to see m-me," she asked as she closed the door behind her and took a seat on one of the armchairs that used to be in the living room.

"Your school called me today," he stated flatly. He was seated in a desk chair with his laptop open in front of him; his eyes didn't raise to the Hyuga once.

"I-I know," she muttered blandly; why couldn't he just get on with this? What was she supposed to tell him that he didn't already know?

"You have known about the rumors going around Konoha for a while now," his words were flat.

"Y-yes," she answered even though it hadn't been a question. The lack of real dialogue was eating away at her; couldn't he say something productive? Was he waiting on her to spill her guts out to him? If he expected that he was sorely mistaken and truly did know nothing about her.

"And you failed to mention this to me, why," he asked after a long pause; it seemed he was replying to an email or filling out a form… who knew?

Ren sat up a little straighter and clinched the strap of her messenger bag tightly as she tried to steel her resolve. "With all due respect, sir," she began slowly; she refused to stutter. "You have not been around very much for me to tell. Hiashi-ojisan is handling it and I did not expect it to make it all the way here. I was hoping it would fade away, at least in time."

When she told him he hadn't been around much he actually looked up at her; it was the first time he had done so since she entered the office. "I see," was all he said. Their eyes locked in a battle of wills and it took everything Ren had not to falter and look down. "It is something that I, as your father, should have been made aware of immediately."

"Forgive me but there's not much you could do about it and quite frankly after sixteen years without you, I'm not used to having a father figure in my life other than my uncles," her words were flat and uncaring; there was a coldness to them that surprised even her. The loose end of the string had been pulled and the unraveling started.

"It is an adjustment for all of us but I am your father," he stated; Ren bit her tongue. "Are you pregnant?"

The question was blunt, so unfeeling. He hadn't even blinked when he asked her such a thing. Nausea welled inside her as she tried to keep her head. He was her father, that was the only reason she wasn't saying exactly what she thought of him… that and her mother had raised her better than that. Her ears were becoming red with anger and she had to grip her bag tighter just to focus on something, anything else.

"Well," he pressed; apparently she had taken too long to respond.

"No," she told him honestly.

"But you have had sex," he inquired.

"I do not believe my virginity or lack thereof is any concern of yours. I just met you," her calm exterior was fading as fast as the words were coming out, "I am not comfortable telling you about something like that. I don't think that should matter. It doesn't affect anything here."

"I ask because I care," he told her calmly; if she hadn't spent sixteen years wondering what this very man was like -why he abandoned her- she might have believed him.

She snorted; the proud Hyuga stooped to the level of those lesser than her breeding and scoffed at him. "You cared a whole lot these past sixteen years, didn't you," she asked as she stood up from the chair.

"I did. Your mother kept me updated on your progress-"

"My progress? Am I being groomed for something? Do you plan for me to be this business tycoon like you or the whole rest of the Hyuga clan? If you cared," her voice was steady as she prepared for a long speech spoken straight from the heart, "maybe you should've been there, maybe then you would know that business is the last thing I will ever make a profession out of. If you had been there, you would've known that I like soccer and I was actually really good at it. You would know that I want to make a difference in the world instead of destroying it… maybe you'd know that, while the Hyuga name is a heavy one to bear, it is the name of the people who raised me," tears began to form in her eyes but she wouldn't hold back her feelings on his way of parenting. "My mother was a Hyuga; my birth certificate, social security card, passport… those all say _Hyuga_ Ren. It has never been Hyogo Ren.

"I am not pregnant. I will not tell you if I have had sex or not. I don't want to hear your false compassion; if my mother was alive I still wouldn't have even met you. I'm not going into business. I am the one who gets to decide what I want to do with my life; that's the one thing Okaasan always made sure of. She may have sent you information that you wanted about my grades or my petty little accomplishments… but you don't know me as a person; you know me in the same heartless way you know a document on your computer screen. I'm only here because I have to be and I'm sorry for being disrespectful but actions speak far louder than words ever will. I just lost my mother; forgive me for not being ready to let you play daddy to me after sixteen years."

Ren's head was held high as she watched him open and close his mouth over and over again; he didn't know what to say but she could tell he was angry by the way his temple seemed to throb. It wasn't what she had intended to say to him but it got her point across. Things would be horrible now but the worst case scenario was that he would tell Hiashi he wouldn't keep her; Ren could live with that even if it meant leaving TenTen and Konohamaru. She turned to walk out the door but stopped, there was more she had to say to him and she hadn't been dismissed yet.

"I wondered about you a lot," she admitted with her hand on the doorknob, "Daddy Daughter Dances, Father's day, even just passing by a father on the street. I wondered for so long why you didn't want me. Why I wasn't good enough for you to even send me a lousy birthday card." The tears were flowing full force and she had to suck the snot building in her nose back up. "I pictured you a million different ways with a million different reasons for not being involved in my life. The older I got the less I wondered about you; not having you was just normal and I didn't care that I was the only girl going to the formal dance without her dad giving her date death threats. I stopped caring that my family wasn't the ideal formation. Somewhere between being that snotty-nosed kid who cried because she couldn't go to the daddy daughter dance and my first prom I became numb to you. I hadn't wondered about you in a long time.

"When Hiashi-ojisan gave me the paperwork on you and your family that brought up a whole lot of new and repressed feelings. Here you are with a great big perfect family. You've got three sons and a daughter; I couldn't figure out where I fit into this picture. I was so angry at first because I couldn't see what they have that I don't," she was full blown sobbing. "I am not perfect, in truth I'm so far from it and I still don't know who I am yet… but I needed a dad too… and it's not fair that you're here for them when I meant nothing. I know life isn't fair but isn't a father's job to try to make his daughter's life just a little bit fairer? There is so much time that we will never get back and I can't even be angry about it anymore because I'm too depressed to be.

"I'm sad that I didn't matter; even more so that now that I'm here and you _still_ don't care to know me. I'm upset that the one person I had in my life that loved me at my worst is dead and I had to move to a place I don't know to live with strangers. I'm depressed because people are so cruel that they use petty rumors started by high school kids to try and destroy my reputation and my family's. I can't take the fact that now I have to face those rumors every day at my new school when I'm still not sure how I feel about anything. The worst part about all of this is that my name is being flung through the mud and you even had to ask me if I'm pregnant or not. Do I really look that awful to all of you that I would be so stupid?"

Silence filled the room and Ren gave a mirthless laugh; he still couldn't say anything to her and it was all she could do to remain in that room a second longer. Quickly she wiped away her tears and looked away from Hideki; he was just sitting there staring at her blankly. "If you will dismiss me, I'd like to go to TenTen's room now, since that's pretty much the only place I can go and I have homework," she requested through her watery voice. She was still a Hyuga and didn't want to be any ruder by just walking out; she wasn't going to run from her problems but he didn't seem ready to continue this battle.

"You're dismissed," he grunted out.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** this one hit me a little closer to home than I'd like to admit... and I hope the feelings came across properly. Pairings are up and down... left and right... where they're going even I don't know anymore. I have ideas but I'm just going to write it as it comes to me. I believe it's pretty clear that Ren's a broken bird... and she's gonna have to fix herself before she can give her heart fully away to anyone (it might take her a while to learn that, though)


	22. Getting A Little Closer

The house was nearly silent as Ren finished up her homework; TenTen's voice had been heard calling through the house after she left Hideki's study stating that she would be going out for a while. A little more than two hours had passed; the homework that should have taken forty-five minutes at best had taken far too long. Every creek that the house made had Ren jumping and her thoughts were consumed with worry. What would Hideki tell everyone? Would she be grounded for speaking in that manner to him? Did she just mess up the only place that she had to live?

A knock on the door jolted Ren out of her silent brooding and caused her to realize that she had been staring at the same page of Icha Icha for Kami knows how long. Her eyes quickly rose to the doorway; Jia dropped her hand to her side and offered a smile as soon as their eyes met. Ren's stepmother had clearly just gotten off work; her hair was still in an immaculate bun and her suit was neatly in place as if she were still in the office.

"Good evening," Jia said gently, "do you mind if I come in?"

Ren's heart sank and she had to force herself to respond. "N-not at all," she spoke quietly then rushed to put her books and papers into her shoulder bag, "Please feel free to have a seat," Ren murmured as she watched Jia standing there awkwardly. This was going to be uncomfortable for both of them.

"Thank you." Jia sat awkwardly, yet still gracefully, on the edge of Ren's bed and turned to look at her with a smile that was beginning to look more and more forced. "I heard about what happened at school today," she began and Ren's breath hitched, "Girls can be really awful to each other. I was bullied a lot in middle school; believe it or not, I used to be quite overweight back then. I had thought that I would go to high school and things would be better because I had lost all the extra weight and started to care about my outward appearance. That wasn't the case; my thinning down was rumored to be from drugs and the way I presented myself was rumored to be because I was sexually active and believed myself to be above them. None of that was true, of course, but it made me want to run from high school life."

"I'm sorry that that happened to you," Ren murmured; she could scarcely believe her own ears but Jia's beautiful amber eyes reflected the pain that a 15-18-year-old Jia must have felt.

"It made me stronger," Jia replied with a small smile, "My mother worked at Sabaku and spent a lot of her time in the office but even still, she made sure that I was hanging in there and if I ever needed to talk she would drop everything for me. I hated that about her in that depressed state –I just wanted to fade back into the earth and be nothing after all—but now that I've gotten through it and made something of myself that makes me happy, I really admire her. From what I've heard about your own mother, I'm sure they were similar in the way they handled their daughters. I want to be more like that because I guess it took Hideki getting that call from the school for me to realize that even though there's an age gap, school is school and girls that age will always be mean."

Ren opened her mouth but quickly shut it. She couldn't fully comprehend what was happening; was Jia seriously trying to relate to her? That should have made the Hyuga happy but instead, it sent a bitter sense of longing for her own mother through her whole body; it surged and bubbled leaving her without a voice or words to speak even if she could.

"I also heard about what you said to Hideki. You have to understand that he buried himself in w—"

"That's enough, Jia," Hideki commented from his position outside the bedroom, "she has every right to feel the way she does; nothing she has said was a lie. Everyone is home so I came to collect you two for dinner; dress nicely, we will be going out."

Jia's mouth had halted as soon as Hideki made his first sound; her lips pressed into a thin line and she nodded. "Give the three of us ladies about half an hour to prepare," she requested. Ren's father nodded to his wife and disappeared from sight. "If you need anyone to talk to about it," Jia began but stopped when she noticed Ren nodding.

"Thank you. I didn't mean to say what I said to him but it's stuff that's been bothering me," Ren's voice was strained as if she would break if she spoke louder than a whisper, "I think I just needed to get it off my chest so that I can move forward and adapt. I appreciate you both taking me in and will try harder to be a better daughter to both of you; one that you can be proud of as my mother was." The words were forced but she meant them; it was a painful thought –being someone's daughter other than her mother's—but it was something that could not be changed and she had to do her best to get through the situation.

"I'm already proud of you," Jia stated with a kind smile as she placed her hand on Ren's shoulder, "You did your homework even with everything that happened at school; that shows me that you aren't going to run away from this. The sixteen-year-old me admires that in you. I'm sure TenTen can help you get ready and if you need anything I'll be just down the hall. TenTen usually wears one of my bracelets and necklaces so you are welcome to do the same; you two come find me as soon as you're both ready and we'll finish off your looks." The kind smile Jia had been wearing grew into a toothy grin, "I always wanted another daughter that I could share my jewelry and life experiences with. I know things are difficult but I'm really glad to have you here."

"Thank you," Ren whispered as she fought to keep her tears at bay; there were just too many emotions swirling around like a storm within her mind.

"Hey Mom," TenTen called out as she entered the room and dropped her purse on the bed, "I'll handle everything in here; you take longer to get ready than we do, I'm sure. Dad will be a little vexed if we take longer than half an hour." A faint laugh left TenTen's parted lips and her grin was as false as the smile Ren had seen Sai make at the pizza parlor; Ren's heart sank. Was TenTen mad at her?

"Alright," Jia stated, "I'll see you girls in a little while." Jia gave Ren's shoulder a light squeeze then stood up and began walking out of the room whispering, "I wonder where he's taking us."

TenTen sighed as soon as Jia was out of the room. "I'm really glad you didn't take my advice but you got to tell him off before I had the chance," TenTen stated with a faint chuckle. Ren couldn't tell if the laugh was real or faked; that left her heart racing. "I have a midnight blue formal dress if you want to wear that; it is too small for me now but it might fit you perfectly."

"Are you mad at me," Ren asked hoarsely as she got off her bed; she had to know and could not bite her tongue.

"Nah, I'm jealous that you got to him first but either way, someone stood up to him and I'm hoping things will change around here; Konohamaru needs them around, right? Sasuke, Suigetsu, and I lucked out because our dad is the gym teacher so he has an easy schedule to understand; with Hideki, it's difficult to find time with him and Konohamaru does need his dad around."

"I needed him around too; I wasn't even thinking of Konohamaru," Ren admitted weakly as she dropped her head, "I hope that what I said makes a difference for his sake, though. I'm grown so I can handle this but you're right; he needs his dad."

"Yep! Thanks for saying what none of us could," TenTen giggled and began digging through her closet. "Here it is," TenTen said after a few seconds, "This is one I've had for a few years but I didn't really wear it; it was too tight on me to be comfortable and as I got taller it just got shorter."

"Thank you," Ren responded as she took the dress and shut the bedroom door. TenTen had pulled out a pale green dress by the time Ren turned back around.

"No problem; I wasn't sure why I kept it until now. You're more petite than I ever was so I hope it's not baggy." TenTen was already getting undressed and ready to pull on the form-fitting, long-sleeved, open backed dress she had chosen.

"I'm sure it will be fine," Ren stated as she did the same. This dress had long sleeves as well but its neckline was low enough to show off her collar bones, unlike the one TenTen had chosen; TenTen's reached almost to her neck. "C-can you zip me," Ren asked weakly as she turned her back to her older step-sister.

"Sure, if you'll button me," TenTen teased as she grabbed hold of the zipper and pulled it up to the back of Ren's neck. The dress didn't hug Ren's curves –not that she really had any—but it wasn't loose enough to make her look completely like a straight board either.

"I will," Ren said with a nod. TenTen turned and she buttoned the two lone buttons as the base of TenTen's neck. "I'm really glad you aren't upset," Ren murmured quietly.

"Why would I be," she asked as she went to her closet and pulled out a thick black belt, a pair of two-inch brown heels, and two-inch black heels; despite their height difference their shoe sizes were almost the same.

"B-because," Ren began as TenTen looped her arms around Ren's waist and secured the belt around her hips, "You seemed upset when you came in here and I did say some things that weren't nice to Hideki."

TenTen laughed and handed Ren the black heels. "Look, I may get mad at you at some point but I'm never going to be so mad at you that I'm going to stop liking you. I've always wanted a sister and it's not like you're an awful person; you're human so you're going to mess up sometimes. I think that you standing up to Hideki is a good thing; as I said earlier I'm jealous but someone did have to say something. I admire you more because you're the one who did it. Don't beat yourself up over it. You've got enough going on so you don't have to worry about stuff here; you are here to stay until you decide it's time to move out and my mom really likes you. It's her job to stand up for Hideki but she tells him when he's wrong in private."

"That's a relief," Ren said with a small laugh.

"Can I do your hair," TenTen asked with a smile.

"S-sure," Ren responded. It had been a long time since anyone had done anything to her hair; her mother used to comb it and braid it when she was little but once Ren hit middle school she begged her mom to stop because of her foolish pride. A small whimper escaped Ren's lips as TenTen ran a comb through Ren's raven locks from scalp to tip.

"What's wrong," TenTen asked softly, "Did it hurt?"

"No! It's not that," Ren quickly blurted out, "It's just that I stopped letting my mom do this and now I wish I would've let her do it every day." Her heart was beating erratically in her chest –it felt like her ribs were too small to keep it in—and her skin was beginning to feel cold. Ren would've given anything for her mother to do her hair one more time; to see the look of pride on Naoma's face as she grinned at her handiwork to Ren's reflection in the mirror.

"You had me worried there," TenTen said with a sigh as she continued working on Ren's hair. "I stopped letting my mom take care of my hair around the time Konohamaru was born. I guess I felt like I was too old for it but you're right; it would be nice to do every day. I hated the way she styled my hair and took to just wearing it in two buns but because she did that; I learned how to do stuff like this," TenTen giggled as she turned Ren to face the mirror. Ren's hair was twisted, braided, and curled into an up-do that made her feel like she belonged in a magazine. "What do you think," TenTen asked as she began putting white flower clips in Ren's hair.

"You're really good at this," Ren stated softly in awe. The reflection staring back at her was nothing like she had imagined –TenTen hadn't taken but ten minutes to do her hair—and the hairstyle showed off her ears and jaw line in a way that flattered her features.

"I'll do your makeup too," TenTen offered enthusiastically.

"O-okay, if you really want to," Ren replied; she couldn't reject TenTen's passion for doing something so trivial. At that moment, Ren added another person to her list of 'People To Make Proud of Me'. Her step-sister seemed to be her number one fan –a fact she was having a difficult time adapting to—so above anyone else, TenTen was who she would strive to impress the most. Konohamaru was added to the mental list as well but her desire to set a good example for him was nothing compared to her need to be everything TenTen expected her to be.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** This chapter is later than I wanted it to be -nothing is going according to any plan or schedule I make- so I apologize for that. I hope that this chapter will suffice. Next will be a dinner out with the family. I feel like I have too many characters for Ren to interact with and not enough time to properly plot them out. I refused to do line breaks to separate scene changes -I'm practicing my writing technique for a novel not for a website so it felt wrong- which is why these chapters are short. I was mistaken to believe that shorter chapters would mean faster posting of chapters; no matter what I do... finding time to write is difficult. I hope you will all bear with me because this story is nowhere near finished. I will warn you all now, however... once _All Or Nothing_ (My Gaara X Ren fanfiction) hits chapter 20 it will be going on temporary hiatus -so will this one- because I'm going to write my novel and I want to do that as quickly as I can. The novel will be my main focus and so once it is completed (at least the first or second draft, anyway) I will come back to both of my passions ( _All or Nothing_ and _Make It Count_ ) with my will of fire burning more brightly than ever before. I have a question for you, my lovely readers who I adore so much; which would you rather read: A Slice Of Life or a Supernatural themed romance? I'm merely asking for the sake of curiosity because I do have two novel ideas swimming about in the limbo of my psyche and I'm not sure which to entertain first.


	23. Family Dinner Out

"When dad said he was taking us to dinner," TenTen grumbled to Ren, "This wasn't what I thought he meant."

Ren was standing behind TenTen with a blush on her face; somehow she had managed to be the caboose of the Hyogo train and now she was thankful for it. The party room at the restaurant Hideki had brought them to was filled with suits and ties. "At least I don't feel overdressed," Ren murmured as she stared at the banner hanging from the ceiling. "Isn't this a bit much?"

"Definitely," TenTen agreed as she looped her arm in Ren's. "I guess he wanted to introduce you in a big way."

A soft sigh escaped Ren's parted lips. **WELCOME REN** was written on the banner. "I don't know what I was expecting, but it didn't involve this many people," she admitted as TenTen lead her into the room.

"Ah, there you two are," Jia called out to them with a bright smile. "Come on, Hideki and I will introduce you to everyone."

Ren stiffened and TenTen gave her a worried glance. "S-sure," she murmured with her eyes focused on her black heels. Thankfully they were closed-toes; otherwise, she was sure she would slip out of them. It was a silly thing to focus on but it was safe.

"I'm going to see if I can find Temari," TenTen announced to Ren's horror. "When you're done with the meet and greets, you can come join us."

Ren opened her mouth to protest but TenTen was already walking off. " _Traitor,"_ Ren growled in her mind. Now she was standing there awkwardly with Jia and Hideki.

Hideki looked her over once then nodded. "Come along," he told her flatly.

Angst began to fill her as she followed her father and step-mother from table to table. Most of the people she was introduced to were people from their company; there were so many that Ren couldn't remember which name went to which face. "This is Raza Sabaku, CEO of the Sabaku Corp," Hideki introduced her to a man with dull red hair. "Mr. Sabaku, this is my daughter Ren."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ren told him robotically as she bowed her head. There were a lot of differences between Hi no Kuni and here; she was trying to adjust.

"The pleasure is all mine," Raza replied flatly; his voice sounded rougher than she had expected. "I do not know if you have met my sons," he began as he turned to the two young men sitting at the table with him, "This is Kankuro and Gaara."

Both boys seemed uncomfortable as they were introduced. "W-we've met," Ren said with a forced smile. "Temari brought them when we all went to the beach this past weekend. It's a pleasure to see you both again." She nodded her head to them but when she met Gaara's eyes she felt even more uncomfortable; it felt like he was staring directly into her soul.

"Ah, that's right," Raza said with a laugh, "I hope you will get along with them."

"I do my best to get along with everyone, sir," came her flat response.

"Excellent. We will not keep you any longer, there are others here who have yet to be graced with your presence." He had a smile on his face but something about him gave Ren the creeps.

"Thank you for your time," Hideki told him as he bowed to his boss. Ren mimicked his movements and was following him far closer than she had been before; if she took one step extra she would step on his heels.

Eventually, everyone had been introduced and Ren was ready to be off her feet. It was a surprise to see Sasori, Deidara, and Hidan sitting with Temari and TenTen. In a way, it made sense that the older boys would be friendly with Temari and TenTen; she had heard rumors that they only associated with juniors and seniors. Suddenly she didn't feel so welcome at the table.

She surveyed the room for Sasuke, Suigetsu, or Konohamaru but when she saw the number of people around them she decided she would simply try her luck with her sister. Temari noticed her approach before anyone else at the table and a bright smile formed on her lips. "You seem to have impressed Father," she informed Ren without so much as a hello.

"A-ano," Ren bit her lip and stiffened, "I don't know what you mean." The idea was absolutely ludicrous; she had acted no different to the CEO than she had anyone else; if anything she was too stiff and robotic.

"He's been looking at you, then talking to Kankuro and Gaara since you stopped at their table," Temari explained.

"Tema, don't wish that fate on her," the redhead at the table stated flatly.

"What fate," Ren asked curiously as she sat next to TenTen.

"Don't encourage them," TenTen told her with a laugh.

"My father still believes in arranging marriages for his children," Temari stated, "He's constantly trying to find suitable matches for the three of us. Why do you think Sasori is sitting here with me?" A laugh escaped her lips as soon as Sasori rolled his eyes. "He thinks he is a good judge of character but he's wrong. Right, Sasori?"

"I am not a bad person," he grunted out; his face remained the same so Ren couldn't decide if he was really offended or not.

"No of course not," Temari deadpanned, "You just sleep with anyone who has a vagina."

Ren's face suddenly felt like it was on fire; she couldn't believe Temari had just said something so brash!

"Hey, watch what you say in front of the virgins," Deidara commented as he smirked; he was staring at both Ren and TenTen. When Ren glanced at her sister she realized that TenTen's face was equally as red as four other people at the table laughed at their expense; TenTen offered Ren a smile for reassurance.

"I do not sleep with just _anyone_ ," Sasori continued on. His eyes were on Ren and TenTen; he was watching them with amusement.

"I beg to fucking differ," Hidan barked out, "you go through women faster than I go through underwear."

"TMI, Hidan," Temari groaned. She was attempting to hold back a laugh.

Ren felt like she was sitting on an island that was just big enough to hold her and TenTen. They might as well have been waiting for the tide to come up and drown them while their friend and her friends laughed in the distance. Silently Ren glanced at TenTen who gave her a shrug.

"Hey wait a minute," Deidara interrupted before Hidan could even open his mouth. "I heard that you weren't a virgin. Why the heck are you blushing so much?" His blue slanted eyes were locked on Ren.

Her face flushed even more; she felt like she would faint. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear," Temari deadpanned.

"Yeah, especially when the words come from Karin's mouth," TenTen added in.

Ren wanted to disappear into the floor. Neither of them was helping her.

"What's going on over here," Suigetsu asked as he appeared behind his sisters and placed his hand on the back of their chairs.

Never had Ren been so glad to see him. She stared up at him, begging him to get her away from the three guys sitting at the table. Running away wouldn't solve her problems but she couldn't deal with this right now. She wished her mother was around; Naoma would have advice that was actually helpful.

"We're just talking about rumors and hearsay," Temari told him with a faint smile. "Rumors are ninety percent false but some people," her eyes darted to the trio of males, "needed a reminder."

"Right," Suigetsu drawled out. His attention turned to Ren. "I'm taking her with me for a bit. Dad's friend Baki is here now. He wants to introduce her."

"I'll catch up with you guys later," Ren told them politely as she stood from her seat and followed behind Suigetsu. "Thank you," she murmured just loud enough for him to hear her.

"No problem," he told her with a smirk.

"I've already met Baki," she told him in confusion. Ren had known better than to say that in front of everyone but it was the truth.

"I know. You looked really uncomfortable," Suigetsu explained.

"You know, you're not so bad." She laughed and smiled gently up at him as he led her across the room. Unfortunately, it was towards Sasuke, Hideki, Konohamaru, and Jia.

"I'm wounded," he gasped. "I am amazing." The moment of gratitude faded into annoyance. "Dad does want you at the same table as him when we dine though," he informed her with a sigh, "Something about appearances. I guess you being new doesn't give you much freedom."

"I adore TenTen, but dinner with Hideki has got to be easier than dinner with Hidan, Deidara, and Sasori," she murmured lowly.

"I'd imagine so. Ten bucks you end up dragged along to the house party Sasori's throwing in two weeks. He's always throwing them when his parents are out of town and there's a business trip coming up. If he doesn't invite Temari and TenTen today, he will soon." Suigetsu's eyes landed on her and he offered her a weak smile.

"Thanks for the warning," Ren responded flatly. They were now close enough to the family table that both would be silent. She took a seat between Sasuke and Hideki and placed her napkin in her lap. Conversation resumed but she didn't pay any attention to it. There were more important things for her to do with her time than go to a party. Her eyes landed on TenTen; she was laughing and talking far more than she had been when Ren was present.

"When can we expect your cousins," Hideki asked lowly; he successfully broke her out of her silent brooding.

"At the end of the week," she responded flatly. That was one thing she had been trying not to think about. She liked Neji well enough -she didn't know him well except for around Hiashi and Hizashi- but Tokuma was a different story; he was cold and lacked any sense of humor. It took everything to suppress a shudder; seeing Hyuuga Tokuma was the last thing she wanted.

"I look forward to seeing Tokuma once more," Hideki commented.

It took everything in her not to gape at him openly. "It will be interesting."

"Dear," Jia began, "Perhaps Ren would like to talk about something else."

"Actually," Suigetsu interrupted, "I have a swim meet in three weeks. Is that enough time for you to clear your schedules?"

The conversation shifted to Suigetsu, much to Ren's relief. The problem was that now her mind was preoccupied with the upcoming weekend. If any of the Hyogo's noticed she wasn't contributing to the ongoing dinner conversation; they didn't show it. Even when her food arrived she struggled to remember to eat.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** Holy crap... two chapters within 24 hours of each other. I wasn't going to update this... but I'm restless and impatient! I figured out how I wanted it to go after a long time of avoiding it. I hope it's a smooth read, but if not I hope you'll let me know. Thank you for reading it. Reviews mean the world to me!


	24. TGIF

**Ren Note:** Hello my lovelies! I've been writing a bit too much for my own good I think. Here's another chapter. Make It Count has started nagging at me now too! Between this story and All Or Nothing, any free time I have (and time I don't) is spent writing/plotting/thinking about everything that could/will/won't happen. I've missed having Ren to talk to. I don't like my imaginary friends being mad at me! Please Enjoy. R&R.

* * *

School had been disastrous that week; mean notes in her locker, gum on her seat, and condoms in her notebooks were the most humiliating actions. There wasn't much that Ren couldn't handle with her head held high but going back to school each day was becoming more and more difficult. The more they did to her the more she had to force herself to go.

To make matters worse Ren felt like she couldn't tell anyone what was going on. Guren-Sensei had spotted the condom when it fell out of her notebook in the middle of class and demanded someone own up to it but no one had. Ren had been mortified. The truth of the matter was that Karin had a big mouth and Ren was the new kid; her word held no power in her new high school.

The icing on the cake, however, was directly in front of her. She had known when the doorbell chimed that she shouldn't have answered the door. "Konbanwa, Tokuma-sama," Ren murmured with a bow to the older of the two Hyuga's standing there. "Neji-niisan," she greeted as she turned to the younger. "Hideki-san is still at his office; we were not expecting you until tomorrow morning." TGIF her rear!

Tokuma shrugged his broad shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest. "We got here earlier than we planned. Hiashi-sama decided to send us on his private jet. Without other passengers to deal with things went smoothly. We even got our hotel room and rental car before heading here."

Ren's eyes drifted between the two males and landed on a robin's egg Porsche. Of course, they would get one of the flashiest cars possible; Hiashi's messengers had to have the best. Her gaze met Neji's but she couldn't read him at all. "Well, I guess I'll call him and let him know you've arrived. Would you like to come in?"

"Certainly. There's no need to call him," Tokuma informed her as he and Neji stepped into the house, "our business is with you." Ren hastily closed the door behind them. Today was the worst possible day to be the only one home. "We just need to ask you questions and give you a pregnancy test."

Her face paled and she looked at Neji in horror. She didn't want to do this but they both _knew_ she would. Neji's face was as blank as it had ever been; she liked phone call Neji better than in person Neji. "I'll make tea since this seems like it will take a while," she muttered as she extended her hand towards the couch, "Please make yourselves at home."

No matter what, Ren was a Hyuga trained to be a gracious host and complacent. When the two of them sat she bowed again and hurried to the kitchen faster than she should have; her dignity was already gone anyway. Suddenly it occurred to her that she had never used the kitchen in this house before; she didn't know where anything was!

With a cloud of angst forming over her head she quickly searched through cabinets and drawers to find teabags, teacups, and a kettle. Thankfully it seemed like Hideki's birthplace stuck with him enough to have such items. For a time she doubted they even owned such things.

She had hoped to have a few minutes to collect herself but her hunt for objects robbed her of it. The kettle whistled as soon as she sat a serving tray on the island. "Kuso," she cursed under her breath. Tea time. As slowly as she could allow herself she prepared the tea before carrying it out into the living room where her _guests_ were waiting. "I apologize for the wait. I am still unfamiliar with this house," she explained quietly as she placed a cup in front of each male.

"That's quite alright," Neji told her flatly, "We did arrive early, after all."

Her shoulders relaxed for a moment as she clutched the tray to her chest. "Thank you for your patience."

"Sit, Ren-chan," Tokuma ordered lightly. "The quicker we get through this the better."

"Do you not like Nagisa," Ren asked as she lowered herself onto the floor in front of the table.

"It is much too hot," Neji complained with a grimace.

"And the people touch too much," Tokuma continued.

"I agree," Ren told them with a nod. "People here seem to be very affectionate, even with strangers. It's not so bad once you adjust." She rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her hands.

"We won't be staying long enough to," Tokuma told her with his face blank. "Now. About why we're here," he began but stopped. His gaze left her; was he uncomfortable? "You're sixteen," he started again after a few seconds of silence, "and a Hyuga."

Ren nodded her head slowly. "I know. Look," she sighed, "How about I make this easier for you guys and just tell you my side of it. If I don't answer your questions with that, then you can ask. I don't need the 'You're a Hyuga and everything you do impacts the family' lecture. I've been receiving it my entire life and this way should save you some discomfort, Tokuma-sama."

Tokuma opened his mouth to argue but Neji spoke first. "Very well. Tell us your side of the story."

Internally Ren smiled at the younger of her two cousins. His eyes met hers and it took everything she had not to physically smile. Neji was there to help her, not Tokuma. He had told her as much during their call. "Okay," Ren said with a nod. Determination sat in; no matter how embarrassing this was she was going to power through it.

"As I'm sure you know," she began with her eyes focused on Neji, "When my mother died Hiashi-ojisama and Hizashi-ojisama came to my school to tell me. They gave me a plane ticket, a promise to keep my possessions safe, and limited information about the people living here. Tsunade-sensei, my principal, sent me home. I went straight there but the more I sat there the more lonely I got.

"My best friend called me that night but I couldn't talk to him about it on the phone, so he came over. I made the decision that I didn't want to be alone in my mother's house." Ren paused to bit her lip; this was even harder than she imagined. "I went home with Shikamaru that night. He told his parents about my mom and I stayed there until it was time to get on the plane to come here. I had never lived without my mother but Nara Yoshino made sure that I felt as welcome and loved in their house as ever. Nara Shikaku continued to make sure I was doing alright. Nara Shikamaru," her words trailed off. She was trying desperately to figure out how to word things without sounding wonton or moronic. "He made sure I knew I was loved." A weak smile formed on her lips; she wasn't sure what facial expression would be appropriate in this situation.

"I had protected sex with him," she continued before anyone could interrupt. "I am sixteen and I am a Hyuga, as you have reminded me, Tokuma-sama," her gaze returned to her eldest cousin, "and so despite the fact that I did not save myself for marriage I went about it as responsibly and maturely as I could have despite the fact that I had just lost the only person in the world I relied on and could have been quite reckless."

Both men were silent for a long time. She wondered if they were having a hard time believing her or had gotten more out of her than they bargained for. Eventually, Tokuma broke the awkward silence. "I suppose you did answer most of Hiashi-sama's questions. However, a few remain. He wishes to know what you plan to do with your life here. Have the rumors reached this far? Would you like to file a court case for slander?"

Ren's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Tokuma. His thistle white eyes were cold as they focused on her. Briefly, she wondered if there was ever a moment in time that made them light up with excitement. For the first time in her life, she realized something; every Hyuga beneath Hiashi was as miserable as the CEO of the company. Disappointment and heartache made their eyes seem so lifeless; it had nothing to do with their ghastly color.

"The rumors have been making school difficult," she admitted finally. For the first time in her life she felt like confiding in Neji and Tokuma; who else did she have to talk to? "I've found myself wishing to go elsewhere but I have nowhere else to go so I'll stick with it. As for slander, I just want it to go away. I don't want a long legal process that's going to drag this out. I just want to figure out who I am now that I don't have Okaasan. I'm still adjusting to this place. I don't know what I even _can_ do here."

Tokuma rubbed his hand against his jawline and sighed. "So they're reached here too?"

"I know that means more work for you, Tokuma-sama. I'm sorry. I'm not anyone special. I never expected anything I did to impact our family like this," she murmured. Tokuma was the person who dealt with the press and advertising; she had unintentionally made his job harder than it already was.

"It's not your fault, Ren-chan," he told her with another sigh. "Off the record," he glanced between both Hyugas. The two of them nodded; they weren't going to share what he was about to say with anyone. "I was far worse when I was your age," he told them with a forced chuckle. "We all have our moments of rebellion; the Hyuga name carries a lot of weight and with it a lot of pressure for perfection. I surrounded myself with the wrong crowd. I've been clean for six years but it took me a long time to even want to be."

"I never knew that," Ren murmured. Neji nodded silently in agreement. "How did you get over all the pressure of being a Hyuga?" Instantly she regretted her question; Tokuma's eyes seemed to lose the little bit of life they had gained.

"You never get over it," he told her with a shrug, "You just figure out how to live with it in your own way. I worked hard to get to the position I'm in because I refused to be stuck in the call center. Hiashi was the only person willing to hire me with my record. Determination to do better is the only thing that's gotten me this far."

Ren's eyes drifted over to Neji. His brows were furrowed as he stared at Tokuma. She couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking the same thing she was; they were never going to be anything but Hyuga dogs. Her heart felt heavy as he eyelids slipped closed. That was the last thing she wanted to be. For the first time in her life she actually felt a connection to Tokuma; he knew what it was like to be just a branch of the tree. It was silly that she hadn't really understood that until now.

"I refuse to be shaped like Hiashi wants," she finally announced with her gaze falling on Tokuma. "I'm my own person so I'll forge my own path. I don't want to work in the company so I won't. I'll get a job doing something I love."

"What do you love doing," Neji asked with an eyebrow raised; he was obviously skeptical.

"I love motorcycles and soccer and art and helping people," she told him with a smile. The list could have gone on and on but those should suffice to sate his curiosity.

"Are you playing soccer here," Tokuma asked after he -finally- took a sip of his tea.

"No."

"Why not," Neji asked.

Ren bit her lip and shook her head; she couldn't make eye contact with either of them right now. "B-because," she started to explain but couldn't. A sigh escaped her lips and she furrowed her brows as she forced herself to look at them. "Okaasan wouldn't be in the stands cheering me on."

Silence reigned in the room for several minutes. No one knew what to say; growing up a Hyuga meant comfort was a foreign concept. "Listen," Neji cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter making her jump. "I know how hard it is to learn to live without your mom," he told her with a frown; Neji's mother had died four years ago."You have to try though. If you stop doing the stuff you enjoy just because you're dealt shitty cards, you'll regret it later and wallow in grief much longer. It doesn't change anything. You're still going to miss her. You wouldn't be being a bad daughter. Do what you love to do and the rest will fall into place sooner or later. Take care of yourself; we both know that's what she would want you to do."

Tears began to form behind her eyes and she had to blink hard to keep them from falling. Dread had filled her because of this visit but now that they were here she felt _better._ Here were two people that understood her; they were trying to help her. "A-Arigato," she told them weakly with a small smile. "I'll try my best."

"I have no doubts," Neji responded with a small smile of his own.

"We still have to do this pregnancy test," Tokuma interjected with a groaned out loud then quickly slapped her fingers over her lips. To her surprise, Tokuma laughed. "Just pee on the stick and let's get this over with. It'll make my life a bit easier."

He held the box out to her and she took it hastily. "I'm not doing this for Hiashi-sama," she told him with her eyes narrowed, "I'm doing it so that you have all your ducks in a row and don't have to deal with his wrath."

"Do you need help," Tokuma asked. His eyes widened and he quickly shook his head. Clearly, he hadn't thought that question through.

"I'll go," Neji informed Tokuma as he stood up.

"I-I don't need you listening to me pee," Ren protested in horror.

"I don't want to hear you urinate," Neji countered, "but someone has to verify the results and that you took it legitimately. It's an unpleasant stipulation given to us."

"Hiashi-sama is lucky he's not the one here right now," she huffed. "Fine! You can be my potty partner," she told Neji with a growl as she grabbed his hand. She pulled him down the hall to the guest bathroom and then froze. "You don't have to actually go in with me, right?"

"Just leave the door cracked. I'll face the other wall," he answered. A soft sigh escaped his lips before he turned around.

"This is so embarrassing," she muttered under her breath as she stepped into the bathroom.

"Degrading is more like it," came Neji's grunted response.


	25. That's It Then

**Ren Note:** Another day, another chapter. I'm going with what comes to me. Now that this one is complete I'm turning my attention to _All Or Nothing_. That means the next update for this story will be a few days away or... a week at most. Enjoy my loves! R &R

* * *

Humiliating and degrading didn't even begin to describe this! As soon as Ren had put the cap on that stupid stick Neji was in the bathroom with her; he had actually waited until she was done washing her hands but it felt like he has rushed in. He leaned against the doorjamb staring at the pregnancy test on the counter. To make matters worse Tokuma joined them less than a minute later wondering what was taking so long.

Hyuga Ren was standing in the guest bathroom of her father's house with two male cousins while waiting on a pregnancy test. It was absolutely ludicrous! " _This couldn't possibly get any worse,"_ Ren thought to herself.

"Why did you buy the ten minute one," Tokuma groaned to Neji.

"I didn't know there were quicker ones. I just bought the one the clerk told me was the most accurate," he snapped.

"Oh Kami," Ren sighed as she placed her cold hand against her forehead, "You _talked_ to someone?" Now there was some clerk thinking her cousin was worried about being a father. That didn't bode well.

"I'm seventeen and a guy," Neji reminded them, "I don't know anything about this stuff. If you saw the horrors of that aisle-"

"You mean the family planning section? The aisle with condoms and lubricants," Tokuma interrupted. "I suppose that explains what took so long; i figured she was flirting with you since your face was red. Surely you've been in it before today." Tokuma didn't seem the least bit worried about the male Hyuga teen talking to someone about pregnancy tests.

To Ren's astonishment, a faint blush formed on Neji's cheeks. His arms crossed over his chest quickly and he turned his head to look away from them. "She wasn't! I've never needed to go there before," he admitted.

Ren bit her lip as she stared at the two of them. Tokuma was gaping openly at Neji. "Why not," she heard herself asking before she realized what she was doing.

"I do not have time for romance," Neji grumbled in response. The blush on his cheeks was threatening to rise all the way to his forehead.

"You poor, poor idiot," Tokuma told him as he shook his head; he choked back a laugh.

"I am not an idiot," Neji groaned as he lowered himself to the side of the guest bathtub.

Ren hated to admit it because Neji seemed so uncomfortable but she was relieved to have all the attention off of her. "Everyone has time for love," Ren told him gently. "Don't you want to get married and have a family someday?"

"Of course," he bit out quickly, "But I want to be finished with college and working a good job before that happens."

"Baka," Tokuma sighed. He thumped his index finger against Neji's forehead. "You don't get to choose when it happens. It's good that you're determined to make something of yourself but you have to remember to live a little. Books, money, and planning only get you so far. Look at me; I've gotten to where I wanted to be when I started a family. I'm twenty-five years old with a stable job, a house, and a car. You know when the last time I even talked to a woman was?" His eyes darted to Ren and he quickly added, "female colleagues and family members don't count. Sorry."

Neji and Ren both stared at him wide-eyed waiting for him to answer his own question. "Three years," he told them finally. "I had planned that out perfectly but I ran into a problem; love isn't something you choose and because it involves another person it's unpredictable." There was hurt shining through his thistle white orbs as he stared down at the two teenagers.

"I'm sorry," Ren told him honestly. "I wish things would have worked out with her."

"I don't," Tokuma responded. A faint smile formed on his lips. "I'd have been miserable with her today if we had stayed together. Truth is she didn't share my hopes and dreams or hobbies. We got along well enough on the surface but when it came to the future and our interests, we clashed. There was no happiness to be had with her. I would have made her miserable too."

Ren decided a moment later that she had spent too much time in Nagisa already; her arms were around Tokuma's waist and her head rested against his chest. She was hugging him with all that she had. Hopefully she could bring him a small comfort. "I hope you find a woman worthy of your heart, Tokuma-sama," she told him quietly.

He was stiff as he patted her back so she released him quickly. "It's been ten minutes," he told them as he glanced at his watch. Ren held her breath as he leaned over the sink to stare at the test. "I have no idea what this means," he admitted with his brows furrowed.

"One line is negative, two is positive," Neji grumbled after he glanced at the instructions.

"One line; it's negative then," Tokuma announced.

"See," Ren asked. "I told you I wasn't pregnant."

"Yes, you did." Neji nodded and offered her a smile. He stood up from the side of the tub and stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. "I guess that takes care of everything."

Tokuma nodded in return. "That it does."

A rock began to form in Ren's stomach. "Does that mean you guys are leaving already?"

"We were told to come back as soon as we had everything we came for," Tokuma explained.

"B-but," Ren began to protest, "Hideki-san was looking forward to seeing you, Tokuma-sama. Surely you guys could stick around for the weekend? It's not such a long flight. You could head home Sunday. Enjoy the beach and take in some of the sights." She wasn't sure why but the idea of them leaving so suddenly saddened her. They were familiar and she wanted to keep them around for as long as she could. She may not enjoy being a Hyuga but she was actually starting to understand her cousins; it felt wrong to cut things short when bonds could be formed.

Neji and Tokuma exchanged a look before the oldest nodded his head. "Sure, you can show us around and I'll have tea with Hideki tomorrow. We'll leave you to enjoy your evening for now. It's been a long day. You can text Neji after you've spoken to Hideki. Make an itinerary and we'll do it."

"Th-thank you," she told them with a smile.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren had just finished cleaning up after they left when Sasuke came into the house and went straight to the guest bathroom. Her heart dropped the moment she heard the door close. She hadn't thrown the trash away from in there yet. Suddenly it was harder to breathe. What would he say to her?

"Hey, Ren-chan," Naruto called to her from the doorway to the kitchen. "How's it going?"

With her eyes wide she stared at him, a bright blush slowly climbing from her neck to the top of her head. Why was Naruto always around when embarrassing things happened? "I got a visit from my cousins," she forced herself to say. "My side of the story is confirmed. They know I'm not pregnant and I answered Hiashi-ojisan's questions." A forced smile formed on her lips.

"That's great to hear. I'm sorry I haven't been able to help ya out much at school," he told her gently. He sat on the barstool at the island in front of her. The Hyogo's had the sink in the middle of the kitchen space for some reason.

"It's alright, Naruto-kun. I'd hate to drag you down with me." Her response was quiet and genuine as she stared into his cerulean blue eyes. There was something calming about those cool orbs; it was like being splashed with cold water on a hot summer day.

"I'm not worried about that," he told her with a shrug. "It's just that I don't find out about it until it's done and over and you refuse to give me names." Naruto punched his fist into his palm and grinned. "I'll take down anyone who hurts my friends, dattebayo!"

"Settle down, dobe," Sasuke chided as he came into the kitchen. He leaned his upper body against the island and stared between his step-sister and best friend. "Glad to see you were telling the truth about not being pregnant," he told Ren with a smirk, "but no one wants to be around your pee stick. You should really take care of that."

Ren blushed again and quickly rushed out of the room. She couldn't stand the idea of Sasuke picking on her at home; wasn't she tortured enough at school? As soon as she took the trash out she was going to go hide in TenTen's room until her sister came home! Surely Sasuke would leave her alone in there. A groan escaped her lips as she stuffed her trash into the bin and pulled out the bag. The likelihood of her being left alone with Naruto around was slim to none. It was Friday; that meant a sleepover and horror movies all night.

Ren had taken the trash out only to pass by Naruto and Sasuke as they headed into the garage. "We'll be back in a bit," Naruto told her as he spun the keys to his orange pickup truck around his index finger. "Sweet and sour chicken, right?"

"And some spring rolls if it's not too much trouble," she added with a blush.

"Sure thing," Naruto told her with a smile. "I don't know where you put it," he continued as he looked over her lean body, "but you're a woman after my own heart when it comes to food, believe it!"

"Hurry up and unlock your truck, Dobe," Sasuke called to him from the passenger side.

"Alright, alright! It's not as fancy as your guys' cars, okay? I have to come over and actually unlock it," Naruto shouted his explanation. He left Ren standing there as he marched over to Sasuke, unlocked his side of the truck, and announced, "There you go, impatient Teme!"

Ren smiled weakly as she watched the display. Naruto got in his truck and was backing out before Sasuke could even buckle. Their friendship was weird… That didn't stop her from being jealous of it. "Ah," Ren gasped as she turned to go back in the house. The door was locked. She had walked right into it. "Uh-oh."

Quickly she began to pat down the pockets of her jeans. No keys, no cell phone. "Awesome," she groaned as she walked around to the front of the house to try that door. No luck. "Now what am I supposed to do?" Ren looked up and down the street but there wasn't anyone outside their homes. Most driveways were empty; their occupants hadn't made it home yet.

She didn't know what else to do so she went back in the garage and stared at Sasuke's bike. With a small shrug she picked up a rag that was sitting on top of wax and began to buff the body of it. She'd seen Sasuke do this same exact thing in the middle of the week but it had rained yesterday so the road had been muddy. He had washed it but didn't have time to wax it. Stupid as it was, the more she worked on shining his bike, the lighter her heart began to feel. There was something about cars and motorcycles that put her at ease.

"Maybe I could become a mechanic," she mumbled to herself. Honestly she wasn't sure that was something she would actually want to make a career from… but it was a start to figuring it out at least. She made a mental note to ask Sasuke about the soccer team when he got back. It would be hard but Neji's words had struck her; her mother wouldn't want her to neglect the things she enjoyed.

Quietly, she hummed to herself as she worked the rag into the small crevices of Sasuke's rims. Tokuma and Neji would be over for brunch tomorrow; she had texted Hideki and Jia to work out the details then passed them along to Neji. With a tilt of her head as she worked, she wondered if she could convince Neji to go get ice cream with her or something; the place Karasu had taken her to served more flavors than any shop she had ever been to in Hi No Kuni. She wanted to thank him for his support and that was a place she was sure she could find.

She still couldn't believe he didn't have a girlfriend; he was 'mysterious', aloof, and handsome… exactly what most girls wanted. If she got time alone with him she would ask if he had admirers at least. Maybe Hideki and Jia knew someone they could introduce Tokuma to. A small taste of romantic hope could go a long way; or so she had read.

The lifelessness in their eyes had truly bothered her. She wanted to give them hope. Her Hyuga rating system of cold to coldest now felt moot; misery had the power to make anyone cold. Part of her wanted to rise up to top of the Hyuga Corp to change them; unfortunately that goal would be out of reach. Instead she would focus on the two Hyuga she had around; Tokuma and Neji were going to leave Nagisa with a little more light in their eyes if it was the last thing she did.


	26. The Many Layers Of Neji Hyuga

The ice cream shop was nearly deserted as Neji and Ren sat at one of the booths enjoying their ice cream cones. So far, Neji had had the courtesy not to mention how awful Ren was with navigation. They had taken twenty minutes to find a place that was less than ten minutes from her house. She was grateful. "Thank you," Ren told him gently.

"For what," he asked with his brows furrowed.

It took everything in Ren not to laugh as the proud Hyuga male licked his scoop of mocha fudge ice cream off the cone. It was such a _normal_ thing but seeing him do it brought her more amusement than it should have. "For paying, of course," she teased before swirling her strawberry cheesecake cone around her tongue to keep it from melting down her fingers. No way would she be the one to bring up her awful directions.

"I'm employed and you are not," he told her with a shrug, "It's only fitting that I treat you. Besides, this is on Hiashi's dime." A smug smile formed on his lips as he stared down at the ice cream. "This is probably the best ice cream I have ever had."

"See, I told you," Ren said with a laugh. "Hey, Neji?" Her laughter had faded and she was suddenly serious as she stared into his eyes, ones that mirrored her own. She had been up most the night thinking; even after Naruto had told her goodnight.

When he tilted his head to the side she forced herself to continue. "Do you ever think that maybe you could rise up to the CEO position?"

"I am destined to take over HR. Hinata or Hanabi will become CEO," he reminded her flatly.

"It doesn't seem right though. Hizashi-ojisan is more skilled than Hiashi-ojisan yet he's in the lesser position." She shook her head. "It's always bothered me that who was born first even matters. Shouldn't it be who's most fitting to run the company?"

"Ren," Neji sighed her name out in warning.

"I'm serious Neji. I mean, look at you. You're every bit as gifted as your father but Hiashi-ojisan won't even look your way. He's always putting Hinata down and favoring Hanabi but he doesn't even see you. You're older, smarter, and would be able to actually relate to -"

"Ren," he growled to halt her rant. "This is how things are. Our fates are sealed. I will be HR, and you will rise up to be my secretary. There's nothing either of us can do to change that."

"I'm not working for the Hyuga Corp," Ren stated firmly.

"You think that now," he sighed, "but the truth is that you will. Someday you'll have had enough of rejection and come crawling back to them. My advice is to avoid as much of that as you can. Go to school for business so that you're qualified right off the bat. Instead of trying to fight what you can't change, fulfill that role as best as you possibly can."

Ren felt tears begin to pool behind her eyes and her throat felt like it was closing up. Part of her knew that Neji was right but the other part -the part that now felt like she was free- wanted to fight it. "Who says this is who we have to be," she asked. When he began to shake his head she continued, "Listen to me, Neji. I know you have what it takes to rise up to the CEO position. Hinata isn't cut out for it. Hanabi would just be another Hiashi. You see the sadness in everyone's eyes, too, don't you? The lifelessness that Tokuma has when he's taking care of Hiashi's dirty work. Neji, changes need to happen or the clan is going to crumble from the inside out. If you don't think you can rise up to that place, make sure Hinata can. Tutor her, push her and be her friend. If you won't change your destiny, I will."

Neji's eyes were locked on hers; both their ice creams had started to drip down their hands. Finally, he seemed to snap out of it; he growled low in his throat and began to wipe up the mess while muttered curses under his breath. "Fine," he told her with a huff, "but if this still fails, if we lose our places near the top, that is on you."

Ren smiled weakly at him. "I have complete faith in you," she told him gently. "I know you can rise up. As long as you give it all that you've got, you can do anything you set your mind to."

A faint blush appeared on Neji's cheeks and he looked away from his distant cousin. He really did seem more human now. That left Ren's heart a little lighter. "What do you plan to do instead of working at the company?"

The question knocked the wind out of her; the napkin she had been using to clean her hand fell from her fingers. "I'm not entirely sure yet," she admitted, "but I do know I want to help people, no matter what I choose. Maybe I'll be a school teacher or a therapist."

"Or you could work for me and help people with our products. No matter what happens, it would be nice to have you there. We've been told we're going to be together our whole lives. Some familiarity when we shake things up may be nice." He wasn't looking at her as he spoke and suddenly the ice cream cone in his hand seemed more appealing than anything she could say.

They finished their cones in silence, cleaned up, then climbed into the Porsche. Ren's mind had been reeling the entire time. "I'll do it," she told Neji gently after she clicked her seatbelt into place. "I'll go the business route and prepare to be your assistant. I'm going to put all my faith in you." Her words had come out so surely but inside she was a nervous wreck. Her whole life she had been against anything to do with the Hyuga Corp but now she was agreeing to work towards it.

Neji smiled at her; it was a real, true, breathtaking smile that left her feeling strange. "Then we have a deal," he told her as he extended his hand to her. She took it and they shook on it. "No matter the outcome," he told her, "We'll give it everything we've got."

She nodded to him and returned his smile with one of her own. It felt so scandalous! They were plotting a complete take over of their clan's business. Somehow she didn't think that Hiashi would see that this was for the good of the clan; their coup d'etat had to work or they were going to pay for it royally. Failure wasn't an option. "I'll give it one hundred and ten percent," she told him with another nod. "Do you think Tokuma is done with his tea?"

"Does it matter," Neji asked with a smirk.

"Not really no. Want to go to the beach without him," Ren asked with a small laugh.

"I have a better idea," Neji told her with a chuckle, "We're on Hiashi-ojisan's dime. Lets shop for clothes that suit you. You refused to take the pregnancy test until we met your demands." He examined her up and down; a faint blush formed on her cheeks. "You don't look like you with all that color."

"I thought you hated the way I dress," she blurted out. Horror made her stomach knot.

"You like the way you dress," he murmured as he shifted the car into reverse.

Ren wasn't sure what to say; she couldn't look at him. Her eyes stayed on the pale purple shirt she was wearing. "N-Neji," she finally murmured, "How about we shop for something better than clothes." He raised an eyebrow at her. "We'll shop for fun. No set plans on what we're buying. If we like it and want it, we buy it."

"You aren't going to be using me to get another motorcycle, are you? That's not a family-friendly vehicle," he deadpanned.

Ren glared at him. "I was not even thinking about it but now," her words trailed off. "Just kidding! Neji-nii, I won't be having a family of my own for a long time. We have too much work to get done first."

"We'll see," he muttered. His eyes weren't on hers but Ren was trying to see what she could find in them. His thistle white orbs gave nothing away as they focused on the road in front of them. "If you keep staring at me like that, I'll have reason to believe father was right about the reason you could not live with us."

Ren's eyes widened and she quickly turned her attention out the window. "I-I w-w-wasn't," she tried to explain.

"I was just teasing," he told her.

There were so many layers to Neji Hyuga that she couldn't even begin to count them all. He was cold, serious, and bitter but he was also kind, determined, and funny when he wanted to be. "I'm glad you came," Ren told him honestly. "It's nice getting to know you away from all the Hyuga formalities."

"Same here," he responded flatly.


	27. Invitation

The beach had been hot, crowded, and a good bit of fun. After Ren and Neji's shopping trip they were paraded to the beach with Tokuma by TenTen and Temari. Naruto, Sasuke, Chojuro, and Jugo had met them there. Everyone had a blast but now Ren was at home with her sister.

"Your cousin Tokuma is so hot," TenTen squealed as she flopped back on her bed. Tokuma and Neji had left for the evening and would be back to say their goodbyes in the morning. Now the two teenage girls had retired to their room for the night. "Did you see his abs? The water running down them was-"

"TenTen, he's my cousin," Ren groaned as she pressed her hands against her ears. She didn't want to even think about Tokuma's abs. "And he's twenty-five. Gross."

"Older guys are so much more attractive," TenTen sighed happily.

"Is it because they're older or because they're unobtainable," Ren asked weakly. She didn't really want to be talking about her cousin's attractiveness with her sister. The only thing that could make it worse was if-

"Neji's not too bad either," TenTen told her with a smile as she propped herself up to stare at her sister.

A groan escaped Ren's lips and she flung a pillow at TenTen. "Do not even go there. He's not the dating type."

"I kind of noticed that," TenTen said with a laugh. "He didn't smile once when Temari and I tried to make conversation. Come to think of it," TenTen paused to tilt her head to the side, "The only time he seemed to relax at all was when you were around."

"It's because I'm family," Ren choked out as she turned her attention away from her sister and onto her laptop. She had opened it to check her email and IMs. This was her nightly routine; homework distracted her from getting online until after dinner.

"Sure it is. I bet he smiles like that around every Hyuga."

Ren frowned; she knew TenTen was just having fun but Ren's heart was in a vice. "Actually no one really smiles in the Hyuga Clan."

"That's really sad," TenTen murmured; suddenly her good-natured fun died.

"I hope it'll be different someday," Ren responded lowly; she couldn't share their plans with anyone, including TenTen.

"I'm sure it will," TenTen told her gently. "Have you heard from lover-boy lately?"

Ren's cheeks flushed as she shook her head. "Shikamaru's not messaged or texted or called me all week." Her bottom lip trembled as she closed her laptop and placed it back on the dresser. "He's got a girlfriend now. I saw it on his timeline."

"Maybe he's been really busy and didn't have time to message you?" TenTen and Ren both knew she was fishing.

"I think he just needs a break from the drama around me," Ren told her with a forced smile. "I just want him to be happy."

As Ren laid down on her bed and buried her face into her pillows she could feel TenTen's eyes on her. She knew what TenTen would say before she even said it. "That's his loss then." Ren nodded her head but she didn't really agree; she felt like she was the one who lost.

"Hey," TenTen said after a few seconds, "Sasori's having a party next weekend. He asked Temari and me to come. Told us we could bring you along. It'd be fun. There's always music, awesome food, and mediocre drinks. It's always the talk of the school. Anyone who doesn't go is always jealous of the ones that did."

Ren bit her lip; the idea of going to a house party wasn't appealing to her. "I don't know, TenTen," she murmured.

"How about we go and if you aren't having fun within half an hour, we'll leave. I'm sure Temari will agree to that too. All you have to do is tell us and we'll leave."

"A-Alright," Ren agreed weakly. This felt like a terrible idea.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So pretty short chapter. The next one should be longer. Hope you guys are doing well! I'm kind of in a funk after ending _All Or Nothing_. I'm trying to find my footing right now for this story. I probably should have taken a few days to collect myself but, as they say in the business, the show must go on.


	28. A Plan in Place

For the hundredth time that day, Ren wondered if she should try to enroll in online classes so she didn't have to show her face in this place. Stress-induced nausea was taking its toll on her body; she hadn't been able to eat lunch all week. The worst part? It was only Tuesday. She had three more days of hell before she got a break.

"Whoops, sorry," some junior guy laughed as he bumped into her and made her drop her books to the ground. She had just wanted to get to her locker and go home.

"Pick them up," another guy growled to the first one. He had his black fingernails dug into the boy's shirt. "And apologize like you mean it."

Ren's eyes darted up to see who was manhandling the guy. Instantly she felt even smaller. Deidara was shoving the guy towards her fallen books. Her eyes met his and he offered her a small smile.

"I'm really sorry, miss," the guy told her as he handed her books back to her.

"It's okay," she told him flatly as she took them and pressed them against her chest once more; maybe if she kept the books there no one would see how fast she was breathing or hear how hard her heart was pounding. Deidara nodded his head towards the direction of her locker and she followed him mutely.

"Why don't you even say anything to them," Deidara asked when they were away from the bulk of people in the main hallway.

"They don't listen. It just gives them more to use against me," she murmured. Her eyes were down and she honestly just wished to disappear. His 'rescue' would only lead her to more heartache in the end; that was why she always kept things hidden from Naruto. She refused to drag anyone down with her.

"Tch," Deidara scoffed, "Probably because you don't say it like you mean it. C'mon." He gripped her wrist and was suddenly dragging her down the hallway that her locker was in. Sadly it was also where his locker was so he had every right to be going there.

They didn't stop at her locker, instead, he continued to lead her down to his. "Here," he grumbled as he pulled open his locker and reached inside. "From this moment on, anyone who messes with you is messing with me." He shoved his black jacket with red clouds against her books.

Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth was open in an 'o' shape as she stared between the jacket and its owner. "I-I can't," she told him with a shake of her head.

"You don't have a choice," he deadpanned. "Books," he demanded and she handed them over without even thinking of protesting. "Now put it on. You're mine now, as far as any of these losers are concerned."

"D-Deidara," she asked him in confusion. "Wh-why?"

"Because you seem to be an okay girl, for a sophomore. Besides you can give me a reason to reassert some dominance around here. Everyone's starting to forget who runs the show."

Ren bit her lip and slipped his jacket on over her light blue t-shirt and stared up at him in disbelief; she was waiting for the moment he told her "Just kidding, you're so gullible!"

"Quit looking at me so scared," he sighed as he handed her back her books and pulled on his backpack. "Haven't you noticed the notes in your locker stopped?"

Ren blinked at him and shook her head; honestly, she had been so wrapped up in everything else that the horrible notes not being there had been overshadowed. "I-I didn't," she admitted weakly.

"You're welcome," he told her in a huff. His blue eyes darted around the hallway like he was making sure they were being watched. "Get your bag. I'll walk you to TenTen's car."

"Thank you," Ren breathed out. He walked with her back to her locker in silence. They were awkward next to each other and Ren wasn't sure if she should let her guard down or not; he could be pulling a prank on her as easily as anyone else.

"There you guys are," TenTen called out to Ren and Deidara when the appeared in the parking lot. "Thanks a bunch, Deidara."

Ren looked between the two of them but said nothing as Deidara shrugged his shoulders and told them, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Wh-what was that about," Ren asked as she tossed her book bag into the back of TenTen's beetle.

"I may have suggested to Deidara at dinner a while back that you were being bullied. Temari and I have been hounding him since then to do something. Apparently, he likes your ass." TenTen was already closing the driver's side door when she finally looked up at Ren.

"My… ass?" Ren twisted to look at her butt and shook her head quickly. Her body wasn't attractive at all. "What is going on?" When she threw her seatbelt on she actually felt her body starting to relax a little.

"You just became Deidara's girlfriend. The first younger girl he's ever dated. No one should mess with you from now on," TenTen told her with a nod as she pulled out of the school.

"I don't get a say in this?"

"You aren't actually his girlfriend. Just play along with it. Karin had a crush on Deidara a few years back. He rejected her hardcore. With you being his fake girlfriend suddenly the school is going to think Karin was just saying that stuff about you out of jealousy. Deidara gets to remind people that he, Hidan, and Sasori are at the top of the food chain and you get to go to school in peace. It's a win-win," TenTen explained.

"For how long," Ren murmured as she rubbed the cotton from Deidara's jacket between her thumb and index finger. It was soft and had an earthy-clay smell to it.

"Until he graduates at the end of the year, probably. Then everyone will expect him to find some college girlfriend and you'll be free to go. This just means you get to go to all the Junior and Senior events as a sophomore. It'll be perfectly fine. You'll be able to focus on school instead of those dumbasses that think they're funny. Everything will turn out alright. I just didn't know what else to do. When Hidan told me Deidara seemed to have a crush on you I ran with it. It was either this or I was going to go to Orochimaru's office and demand something be done."

"They can't do anything without knowing who did it anyway," Ren told her sister gently; she had tried multiple times to figure out a way to stop the harassment. Nothing she did worked. Pretending to be Deidara's girlfriend didn't feel like a smart move. TenTen seemed so sure but Ren didn't share TenTen's optimism.

She tried to wrap her mind around what had transpired but it was just too insane. Ren missed Shikamaru; he wasn't there to get her out of the situation. With a frown, she stared out her window and watched as buildings whizzed by. It pained her to admit she missed Neji and Tokuma already too; they were good company when they weren't focused on being Hyugas.

"You'll like Deidara," TenTen told her to pull her out of her thoughts. "He's a jerk to everyone younger than him but he's really creative. He can be selfish though, so watch out. He likes everything to be flashy. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about it first."

"It's okay," Ren murmured, "I guess I'm willing to give anything a try. Do you think Hideki and Jia would be against me taking online classes instead of going to school?" When TenTen glanced at her with her lips in a straight line, Ren knew the answer. "That's what I was afraid of."

"It'll be alright. Give it time and someone will actually get pregnant. With any luck, it'll be Karin. Sasuke just better not be the father. Both our dads would kill him," she stated.

"Your dad's actually being nice to me," Ren informed her sister. "What happened between him and your mom?"

"He's been through a lot. He was a soldier and watched his entire team die. I guess when he got back he wasn't the same. Haku's actually a kid he adopted right after he and mom split. Haku's one of the ones he managed to save, or so the story goes. The two of them make a great team. He keeps dad grounded and dad keeps Haku safe and happy. They're two peas in a pod. He still blames Hideki for the divorce though. I wish his therapist would work on _that_ too," TenTen told her with a sigh.

"That explains all the scars and the dark aura always floating about him then," Ren responded. "I'm glad he's stopped putting that hostility towards me."

"Well, when I was over at his house Friday night we had a heart to heart. He asked about you. I told him about your mom, I hope that's okay. He still doesn't like Hideki though. Especially since I told Dad you'd never met him until you moved here. I guess him blowing you off when the rumors started at school reminded Dad that you're not Hideki even if you're his daughter." TenTen was quiet when she explained things but Ren heard every word.

"It's nice not having to do extra laps in gym class now," Ren told her with a small laugh. "I like to exercise as much as the next person but I thought he was trying to make my heart explode."

"Be careful," TenTen warned, "if he thinks you aren't giving it all you have, he will push you again."

"Noted," Ren gulped. "What about Guren-sensei? They seem friendly."

"Are you trying to set my dad up on a date?" TenTen's laugh radiated throughout the car.

"I wasn't but," Ren's words trailed off and she turned her attention to the road in front of them, "doesn't everyone deserve to be loved?"

"Well yeah," TenTen murmured. She cleared her throat before she spoke again. "Sometimes it's more about learning to love yourself first. Dad will start dating again when he's actually comfortable on his own. For right now, he's got Haku to take care of him."

Ren nodded without looking at TenTen. She felt guilty for being upset with Shikamaru. They were just friends. So what if she had given him her body? He didn't owe her anything. Ren closed her eyes and nearly sighed; the image of Shikamaru and Tayuya together popped back in her head. Shikamaru deserved to be happy. Maybe she could pretend to be happy while she was with Deidara too. Who knew? Maybe she would actually enjoy being around him.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** You guys are getting these chapters pretty much as I write them. Usually, I'd hold onto them for a week, making sure they fit my plot and guidelines but I'm afraid if I do that I won't push forward. Balance has never been something I'm good at achieving. We'll have more Suigetsu, Sasuke, Konohamaru, Temari, and Naruto scenes coming up. Also... Deidara isn't who she's going to end up with. Sorry if that breaks any hearts. I have big plans for him though.


	29. Sasori's House Party

**Ren Note:** I'm pumping out chapters for this like no other. Every time I get a free minute I'm writing and when I don't have a free minute this story is still on my mind. I had planned for this chapter to go differently but I decided it's best not to rush things. R &R, if it's not too much trouble.

* * *

Music could be heard before Ren could even see Sasori's house. This party was already beginning to remind her of Kiba's. People were on the front lawn, in the pool, and everywhere in between. Some of the guests seemed old enough to be in college but none of them were as young as Ren. She felt like she was a goldfish in a tank full of sharks.

"Temari," Sasori shouted over the music to Ren's friend. He squeezed through the wave of bodies moving in beat with the music and stopped in front of them. "Thanks for coming Temari, TenTen, and," Sasori's words trailed off as he stared at Ren. "Ren, right?" She nodded. "Well make yourselves at home. As always the second floor is off limits. Drinks are in the kitchen. Have fun."

"I-is it always like this," Ren asked over the music as soon as Sasori had disappeared; her head was pulsating with the bass.

"Sometimes it's better," Temari told her with a laugh.

"Most times it's worse," TenTen countered.

"Let's get a drink and see who's here," Temari shouted over the music.

Ren followed behind the two older girls closely as they headed to the kitchen. Sasori's house was interesting. It wasn't overly furnished and seemed to follow some weird modern house design rules. Most things were straight lines. She hated to admit it, but she liked the style. It felt fresh compared to the house she grew up in.

Ren opened her mouth to ask TenTen if she thought Jia would go with the idea of a modern bedroom but her sister and Temari were gone. She stood up on her tippy toes, trying to see over the swarm of people but she was too short; she couldn't see the girls anywhere.

"Lose someone," a voice she was slowly becoming more familiar with asked. When she turned around she looked straight up into Deidara's eyes. "They're with Jugo and Hidan by the staircase."

"Thank you," Ren told him gently as she turned to leave him standing there.

He gently grabbed her by the arm to keep her in place. "This is the first time I've seen you out of school since your welcome party. All these people around. We should stick together, yeah? It'd help keep up appearances."

Ren bit her lip as she faced him again. "But we aren't really dating," she told him meekly. Deidara wasn't the worst person in the world to hang around with but he was annoyingly bossy sometimes. She hadn't come to spend time with him; to be honest she didn't know why she had come at all.

"They don't know that," Deidara told her with a smirk. "How about a few dances? Then I'll take you back to Temari and TenTen."

Ren wanted to groan at the boy. "I-I don't dance," she stated as her cheeks tinted pink. It wasn't a complete lie; her dance skills were formal not bump and grind like horny animals to music that left you feeling deaf.

"Why not?"

"It's embarrassing," she told him in a huff. It was embarrassing to admit that she found it embarrassing. More heat began to form on her cheeks. She was highly uncomfortable.

"Fine, we don't have to dance," he responded more gently than she thought he even could. "How about we just hang out together then, yeah?"

Ren nearly sighed. He was giving her such a sad smile that she knew she was going to give in. "Alright," she murmured, "but not for too long." She did kind of owe him for saving her at school. What was the worst that could happen?

Deidara grinned at her then grabbed a cup off one of the countertops in the kitchen. He handed her the glass then took one for himself. "To getting to know my fake girlfriend," Deidara chuckled as he held his cup up.

Ren tapped the glass he had handed her against his then took a small sip of the liquid. She almost gagged; quickly she swallowed and asked, "What is this stuff?"

"Hell if I know," Deidara told her with a laugh, "It's a mix of soda and alcohol but I couldn't begin to tell you what kinds."

A drinker Ren was not. She forced a smile and placed her cup back on the counter. Under aged drinking wasn't something she cared to partake in any way. She wasn't that big of a goody-two-shoes but she hadn't acquired a taste for alcohol. "What do you do for fun," she asked.

Deidara wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began leading her out the backdoor that led to the pool all while talking about sculptures and how an art that's fleeting is even more glorious than those that stick around. As soon as they sat down on a poolside bench he finally asked her a question about herself. "Are you a fan of art?"

"I love art," she told him with a smile. "I'm just not very good at it. I used to try to draw anime characters in middle school but anatomy isn't something I mastered. I have a lot of admiration for the people who can actually create beautiful works."

"Yeah? I'll have to show you some of mine, sometime! I could even teach you, yeah? It'd be a blast," Deidara told her with a grin.

Their conversation dragged on for a while and somewhere along the way Ren had started taking small sips from his cup when he offered it to her. She wasn't fond of the taste but she was slowly becoming used to it. They went through three or four glasses between the two of them; Deidara drank a lot more than she did but she was definitely feeling it.

"Your face is red," he told her when there was a lapse in conversation. It turned out he could talk about art all night if she'd let him.

"I-I know," she admitted with her shoulders slumped. "I get embarrassed easily, I guess."

"Afraid you're messing up, yeah? You're doing fine! We're having fun," he told her with a laugh.

"I know," she told him as she shook her head. A light laugh escaped her lips, "I think it's just from drinking right now. My body feels like it's hotter than normal." The moment the words left her lips she regretted it; she had just shared too much.

"You're a lightweight, yeah?" He chuckled and laced his fingers with hers. "You probably shouldn't share that with ninety percent of the guys here. You're a nice girl. A good girl. They would pounce on you faster than you could say no."

Ren frowned as she stared into Deidara's eyes. His eyes were blue but they were different than Naruto's. Deidara's was an explosion of emotions while Naruto's were calming. It made her heart rate increase to be close to him. He gave her hand a light squeeze and she murmured, "I'm glad you aren't like that then."

"Can't say I didn't think about it," he told her with a laugh, "but I'm supposed to make this fake relationship thing last for a while. I'd rather enjoy it than scare you off before I have the chance to win your heart, yeah."

Ren felt her heart skip a beat and it took everything in her not to look away. "My heart isn't a worthy prize, I assure you. Besides, when you go off to college you'll forget all about me." She was smiling but for some reason, the idea hurt. No one wanted to be tossed aside and forgotten, fake relationship or real.

Maybe it was the sanctuary he offered from the party around them or maybe it was the alcohol in her system; either way when he told her, "You worry too much," and pressed his lips gently against hers she didn't push him away. She let him kiss her and before she knew it, she had wrapped her arms around him and was returning the kiss. "Don't push further than you're willing to go, Princess," Deidara warned her in between kisses.

The words barely registered to Ren as she pulled back enough to look up at him. "I-I won't," she told him with a nod.

Deidara groaned as his hands caressed her sides. "You're killing me." Ren didn't understand what he meant. "You're looking at me with those innocent eyes and swollen lips. It makes me want to devour you," he told her with a forced chuckle. "We'd better find TenTen and Temari. If I stay with you much longer, you'll regret it."

She nodded slowly and released her fake boyfriend from her embrace; suddenly she felt sober. Her blush was there with a vengeance as she replayed the scene over and over again in her head. She had kissed Deidara in a way she hadn't ever kissed Shikamaru; it hadn't been friendly at all. "O-okay," she told him weakly as he helped her up to her feet. She almost swayed as soon as she was on her feet; turned out she was wrong about being sober.

"Let me see your phone," he told her while he looked around trying to find Ren's friends.

"What for," she asked with her brows furrowed as she pulled the phone from her back pocket.

"So that I can give you my number," he told her with a chuckle as he grabbed the phone from her hands. He quickly added in his details then sent a text to his phone from hers. Once he had shown her that he received it he handed the phone back. "Might as well make the most of it, yeah?"

"Y-yeah," she responded meekly. Her life kept getting stranger and stranger.

"There you are," TenTen called to the duo as she came rushing down the stairs. "Sasuke's on his way to get us. We really do not want to break curfew tonight. Thanks for looking out for her, Deidara. C'mon, Temari's waiting outside."

Before TenTen could whisk her away Ren waved awkwardly to Deidara and told him, "Ja ne."

"See you later," he called as TenTen practically dragged her around people and out the front door.

Ren kept her eyes on him until too many people blocked her view. Suddenly realization dawned on her; she actually liked Deidara. That was a frightening thought. One evening of talking had led her to _want_ to be around him instead of needing to be. She would have to fight against her heart if she wanted to keep it intact.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and she saw a message from Deidara. His name had hearts around it and she almost groaned at his cheesiness. "I had fun tonight, Princess," the message said. A small smile formed on her lips before she noticed she was standing in front of the house with Temari and TenTen. She was royally screwed.


	30. Not-So-Lazy Sunday

Ren woke up with a headache; if the sun had stayed below the horizon she would have felt better. Naruto had spent the night with Sasuke the night before and she wasn't sure she could handle the exuberant blond. When the two of them picked up Ren, Temari, and TenTen Naruto had been eerily quiet; she could feel the disappointment radiating off her step-brother and his friend.

Now that TenTen was calling for Temari to get up, Ren was wide awake. With a groan, she put a pillow over her head silently wishing for peace and quiet. This must be what a hangover felt like. Turned out all the water Temari practically shoved down her throat didn't help at all.

"That bad, huh," Temari asked with a chuckle as she climbed off of TenTen's bed.

"I've never really drank before," Ren admitted; her voice was muffled by her pillow.

"We're corrupting you," TenTen laughed lightly as she handed some Tylenol to Ren with a glass of water. Ren quickly gulped the pills down then buried herself under her pillow again.

"Hangover or no hangover, we've got work to do today before your parents get home," Temari reminded Ren, "Up and at 'em."

Suddenly Ren's covers were pulled back and the pillow was yanked from over her head simultaneously. Horror set in as Ren quickly tried to cover her body. She _may_ have puked in TenTen's car on the way home and she _may_ have been stripped out of her jeans and t-shirt by her friends before they put her to bed. Now Ren was laying there in her underwear completely exposed.

"Were you guys ever going to get up or-" Naruto's words halted as he stared at the scene before him. He hadn't even made it three steps into the room yet. "This is a bad time," He laughed nervously as he backed out of the room with a blush on his face.

Ren wanted the floor to swallow her whole. "Oh God," she groaned as she pulled the blanket from Temari's hand and wrapped it around her.

"I kind of forgot you weren't dressed," Temari told her with regret lacing her voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't even realize he was around."

"Me either," TenTen groaned as she shut the bedroom door. "This open door policy thing sucks."

"N-no kidding," Ren sputtered out as she slid out of bed and pulled a pair of black skinny jeans and a coral halter top out of her dresser.

"So are you going to tell us what happened with Deidara," Temari asked with a smirk.

There was no privacy in this house! Ren's grip on her clothes tightened as she stared away from her friend and sister. "N-Nothing happened," she told them in a higher pitched voice than normal.

"Oh really," TenTen asked as she sat down on Ren's bed with a chuckle. "That's not what I saw," she sing-songed.

"H-He kissed me," Ren admitted with her eyes cast down. This was almost as embarrassing as taking a pregnancy test with Neji just outside the bathroom.

"And he gave you his number," Temari said with a chuckle. "Your phone has been going off since four this morning. We had to silence it so we could go back to sleep."

Ren's face was as red as a tomato as she pulled her clothes on over her underwear. "Wh-what happened with you and Hidan," Ren asked weakly; she had to change the topic or she was going to faint from embarrassment; it had never happened to her but she had seen it happen to Hinata many times so she knew it was possible.

Temari groaned and crossed her arms. "Absolutely nothing despite his best efforts to try. He's a pig," she scoffed. "Honestly he and Sasori are two peas in a pod. They think they're God's gift to women or something."

Suddenly what Deidara had told her made sense. " _They would pounce on you faster than you could say no,"_ he had said. A frown formed on her lips as she stared at Temari. "Why do you hang out with them, then?"

Temari shrugged and tucked her hands into her front pockets. "Because their parents work with my dad. They're the only ones who actually get the pressure put on us. We have to be the smartest, fastest, strongest. They're pigs but they are fun too. I just shrug off their advances and enjoy the company; most the time they're kidding anyway. I can talk to them about how lame my dad is without them judging me. It's nice."

Ren bit her lip and nodded her head slowly. "That sounds a lot like being a Hyuga," she murmured, "except we don't really associate outside of company gatherings and family dinners. Last weekend was the first time I actually had fun being around Tokuma and Neji. I'm glad that, even though they're pigs, you've got people who understand you."

"See," TenTen said with a grin, "Ren gets it too. Let's go get breakfast; I'm starving."

TenTen almost opened the bedroom door when Ren called out, "W-wait! How do I face Naruto now? He's seen me practically naked!"

TenTen bit her lip to keep from laughing at her sister. Temari didn't even bother holding hers back. "How are you not still a virgin," Temari asked through her laughs. "We need to get you laid more or something so you'll loosen up."

"I-I'm fine as I am," Ren protested.

"That sounds vaguely familiar," Temari teased as she turned her gaze to TenTen. "You two may not be blood but you're definitely sisters. There's nothing wrong with a few rendezvous every now and then."

"S-says you," TenTen murmured as she turned away from the two girls. Ren could see a blush on her cheeks; Ren's own cheeks probably matched.

"Just use it to your advantage," Temari told Ren with a smirk. "Pretend it doesn't bother you at all. Confidence is key. The less you seem worried about it, the easier it'll be to slip back into a normal conversation. With any luck, he'll never bring it up."

"Or he'll try to get in her pants," TenTen grumbled.

"There are worse people to sleep with," Temari said with a shrug. "He's not my type but he's never had a girlfriend so at least we know he should be clean. Plus you're with Deidara so no worries; Naruto wouldn't even try."

Ren wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole! That had to be the worst advice anyone had ever given her. Inside she wanted to scream, cry, and throw a tantrum about how unhelpful Temari was being. TenTen had opened the door and the two of them left Ren standing in the middle of the room.

A wave of sadness washed over her when she tried to figure out what advice her mother would give her; they had never once discussed boys aside from the birds and the bees. With no other advice to follow, Ren took a deep breath and straightened her stance; without giving herself time to chicken out she left the bedroom and made her way into the kitchen.

To her relief, Naruto wasn't there. All that false confidence she had been pretending to have fell away. She pulled a bowl down from the cupboard and went about making a bowl of cereal for herself; TenTen and Temari were already sitting at the table in the corner munching on their own cereal and talking about plans for school the following day.

"Hey Ren," TenTen called to her quickly, "There's an open slot on the martial arts roster. Think you'd be interested? We could definitely use more girls."

Ren blinked a few times before picking up her bowl and joining them at the table. "I'm not sure. Last time I even took martial arts, I struggled with it because I'm so short."

"Clearly your teacher didn't teach you how to use that as an advantage," Temari chuckled. "Mr. Darui would be able to remedy that. He's taught TenTen and me how to take down guys twice our size. I'm sure you could do it no sweat."

"I was actually thinking about trying to join the soccer team," Ren murmured as she stirred her cereal around; it wasn't all that appealing but she knew that she had to eat something or her hangover would linger even longer.

"Why not do both," Temari asked with a shrug.

"There are lots of kids on the team that do multiple extracurricular activities," TenTen told her gently. "Mr. Darui is pretty flexible with training times. I go after school most days because I'm free but he's always there in the mornings or after soccer practice would be over. I'm sure you could do both."

"I'll think about it," Ren told them with a faint smile. "Do either of you know where I can locate a math tutor? I've decided to go into the family business after all; Neji's going to need me if we're going to make the future of the clan better." Temari and TenTen both looked at her with their eyebrows furrowed; Ren suddenly realized how much she had shared with them. Horror washed over her face.

"I thought you didn't want to work at the Hyuga Corp," TenTen asked skeptically.

"I didn't," Ren replied quickly, "but spending time with Tokuma and Neji opened my eyes a little. The whole reason I didn't want to work there was because everyone seemed so robotic all the time. If Neji could rise up to the CEO position he would be able to make a difference in the way everyone is treated. He could bring some life back to the Hyuga Clan. I've decided I want to help make that happen. It's not saving the entire world but it'd be a good chunk of Hi No Kuni. Plus the products they fund could really make a difference worldwide. If I can work my way up the ranks then I could possibly convince them to start funding smaller companies that have great ideas but no backing."

"You've really thought this through, haven't you," Temari asked her quietly.

Ren nodded her head and offered a weak smile. "The worst that will happen is Neji and I fail. If that happens, I'll at least have a business degree behind me and then I could possibly get a job at a different company. Either way, I have to try. It wouldn't be fair to Neji if he put in all the work."

"What is your relationship with Neji, anyway," TenTen asked with a brow quirked.

"It's complicated, I guess. His dad is the head of HR and my mom was his assistant. Neji and I have been told our whole lives that we were going to step into those same roles when we graduated college. We'd never really talked before I moved here but I've always admired him; he's brilliant and naturally gifted. His dad should've gotten the CEO position but he was born second." Ren shrugged at the end of her explanation and did her best not to sigh.

"Wow," Temari murmured, "That sounds a lot like the Sabaku Corp. We don't go by who was born first but Kankuro, Gaara, or I are most likely to inherit the CEO position because our dad is the current one. Unless none of us want the spot, we're pretty much guaranteed it. I don't want it, Kankuro doesn't want it, but Gaara hasn't said one way or another. I guess we'll see."

"What happens if Gaara doesn't want the position either," Ren asked meekly; she wondered if Hinata and Hanabi would be given a choice.

"Then it'll go to the most qualified candidate. Naruto wants the position but he has no real ties to the company; he'd have to work really hard to get there." Temari was frowning as she answered the question.

"I see," Ren murmured before a hum rumbled through her chest. "I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens." Truth be told, Ren hoped Naruto would be able to achieve his goal of being Kazekage someday. She wondered if she should suggest the position of Hokage to him instead; he wouldn't have to compete with Gaara in the Senju Corporation.

TenTen frowned at the two other girls. "Why are we talking business like we're old? I'm not worried about a career until I get halfway through college. Then I'll start planning how I want it to go. For now, I'd rather have fun."

Temari chuckled as she shook her head at TenTen. "Honestly! How are you going to survive after high school?" Before TenTen could answer Temari turned her attention to Ren. "If you want a math tutor, talk to Mr. Yakushi or Kakuzu. Mr. Kakuzu runs the Mathletes but Mr. Yakushi is probably the better choice; you do not want to be roped in with the Mathletes."

Ren nodded her head; at least she had gotten her answer. "Thank you. I guess I'll talk to Yakushi-san tomorrow before school." TenTen was giving her the sad puppy-dog eyes so Ren sighed. "And I'll talk to Darui-sensei about joining the martial arts team."

"Yay," both girls exclaimed as they simultaneously threw their arms around Ren.

Ren felt like she was going to vomit up her cereal from all their squeezing. "Okay, okay," Ren grumbled with a forced laugh, "you guys are going to make me puke."

"Sorry," TenTen muttered as she released Ren.

"I do not want to wear your cereal," Temari groaned as she returned to her seat. "Hilarious thing though," she told Ren with a laugh, "Sasuke cleaned your vomit out of the car last night. It was the most hilarious thing ever. If you hadn't passed out, you'd of been beet red with all the unholy words he was spouting."

A groan escaped Ren's lips; now Sasuke had something else to tease her for. "Awesome," she murmured sarcastically.

"Hey it wasn't so bad," Naruto stated as he walked into the kitchen. "At least you'd managed to hit the bag for the most part. He's pretty pissed at you guys though."

Ren was not prepared to see Naruto; why did he have to show up after she had relaxed? He just couldn't have been in the kitchen when she was ready to put on her confident act, could he? Temari gave her a look that told her to "suck it up and be confident" but Ren wasn't sure she could manage that now.

"He'll get over it," TenTen grumbled. "Honestly it's not like I've never picked him up from a party and cleaned up his vomit."

"I don't think it counts if it's when he's got food poisoning," Temari chuckled.

"Potato, Patato," TenTen shrugged. "His puke was way worse; he blew chunks all over my windshield, okay?"

Ren made the mistake of imagining the event; oh how big of a mistake that was! Before she could say anything, she was on her feet rushing past Naruto with her hand clamped over her mouth. She barely made it to the guest bathroom before her cereal resurfaced.

"She's kind of a lightweight, huh," Ren heard Naruto ask between heaves. Never again would Hyuga Ren go to a party and drink alcohol. Mistakes had been made. She hated puking with a passion.

"Hey, Ren," TenTen called to her from the hallway, "Mom and Dad are going to be home in a few hours. We've got to get this place clean."

A groan escaped Ren's lips as she pressed her hot forehead against her forearm over the toilet. This was turning out to be an awful Sunday already. With the return of Hideki and Jia, the weekend would end and that meant returning to school. She had to pull herself together before they got there; she was sure she wouldn't be able to convince them that she was sick. Knowing her luck they'd worry she really was pregnant and then she'd be right back where she was a week ago.

With as much pride as she could muster she flushed the toilet and washed her hands before splashing water on her face. "I'm going to go brush my teeth then I'll be back," Ren told TenTen, Temari, Naruto, and Sasuke. She wasn't sure when her step-brother had decided to make his appearance in the kitchen but she decided she just couldn't care. "I'm never going to another party," she announced before walking away.

Now Ren needed to pretend she wasn't hungover, help make it look like Hurricane Naruto hadn't hit their house, and she still needed to see what Deidara had been saying in his text messages. "So much for a lazy Sunday," Ren murmured to herself as she put a blob of toothpaste on her toothbrush. "Might as well get this over with."

* * *

 **Ren Note:** Another day, another chapter. I don't know if I'll continue at this pace so try not to get used to it, loves. We're approaching the second arch of the story! I'm excited! Are you guys excited? Thanks so much for your time and patience. You're the best and anyone who says otherwise can take it up with me. I'll gentle fist their faces for you! XoXo


	31. Soccer Sorrows

Ren flopped back on her bed and sighed heavily. Her entire body felt like jello; being on two sports teams was taking its toll and she had only been doing it for a few weeks. As her phone buzzed she groaned and considered ignoring it all together. Chojuro had been assigned as her math tutor; her phone was either going off because he was going to hound her about homework or Deidara was checking in on her. She wasn't sure how she had gone from bullied to having a false boyfriend that was territorial. Either way, her limbs felt too heavy to grab her phone out of her pocket.

"That bad today, huh," TenTen asked as she dropped her backpack on her bed and unzipped it.

"I feel like I've been put through a paper shredder," Ren murmured as she let her eyes drift shut. "Does Darui-sensei have to be so pushy every single day? I know I'm new to this and have a lot to learn but pushing me until I can't move isn't going to be productive."

"He's like that for the first few months. I doubt being on the soccer team is helping with it either," TenTen replied as she threw open her Earth Science book and began rummaging through her bag for her pencil.

"I signed up for too much at once, didn't I?"

"It kind of seems like it. No one would fault you for giving one or two things up," TenTen responded.

"I can't do that. I told Neji I would get back to doing what I enjoy. I chose to do all this stuff so I'm going to do it. I won't go back on my word. I promised you I'd do the Martial Arts team," Ren stated firmly.

"You have been spending too much time with Naruto," TenTen laughed out.

A faint blush formed on Ren's cheeks as she opened her eyes to stare at her sister in horror. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to be on the same team as him? Temari's advice hasn't made me feel any better. He won't actually look at me. N-not that I want him to. If he did, I think I'd die. It's just that it makes it hard to practice."

"I can imagine," TenTen responded with a faint smile on her lips.

Ren couldn't help but feel that TenTen didn't understand it at all. With a frown, she murmured, "The only person it's harder to work with is Sasuke. Why is he such a jerk?"

"Because you could possibly show him up in his domain? Was he dropped on his head one too many times as a baby? Who knows? Honestly, he's probably just doing it because he knows it bothers you. Sometimes you're good at hiding your emotions but lately not so much, at least here at home." TenTen groaned as she put her book aside. "I hate Earth Science. It was supposed to be the easier class!"

"Is Earth Science your Algebra 2," Ren asked with a groan. "I really suck at math."

"I don't know if it's that bad," TenTen laughed out. "How did you get straight A's in Hi No Kuni?"

"Shikamaru helped me with math, I summarized the reading homework. He's insanely smart but so lazy it's not even funny. I guess maybe he was giving me the answers more than tutoring," a faint laugh escaped Ren's lips. "TenTen."

"Yeah?"

"I need help getting up."

"You're absolutely hopeless," TenTen told her with a chuckle. She climbed off her bed, grabbed Ren by the arms, and pulled her into a sitting position. Ren groaned as her muscles fought against the movement. "Honestly," a laugh escaped her lips.

"It's really bad," Ren whined. "I may take a hot bath or something."

"Don't you have tutoring with Chojuro tonight," TenTen asked with her brow raised.

"I told him we'd aim for tomorrow instead before we left school. He's probably not happy about it but he'll have to deal with it. We've been at this every day and I don't feel like I'm any closer to understanding this than I was. A day off isn't going to be the end of the world; plus I don't think I could walk to the coffee shop right now. My legs may fall off," Ren sighed.

"I could've driven you," TenTen chuckled. "Alright, alright. Take a day off. Don't forget to answer your phone though. Chojuro may have plans tomorrow; maybe you'll get two days off."

"Oh if only," Ren murmured as she forced her body off the bed and to her dresser. "By the way," Ren told her as she clutched her pajamas to her chest. "As long as you can remember that the Ozone layer is in the mesosphere, the rest of the questions on your test will be focused on what gases are present where and the amount of pressure involved."

"How do you know that," TenTen asked with her brows furrowed.

"I took Earth Science last year as a secondary science class. I asked Yakushi-san if it was the same here. Figured it'd be an easy enough class. Sadly because they're so similar I can't stack credits from it. It's even the same textbook." Ren shrugged and left the room with TenTen gaping at her.

"If you had more time, I'd ask you to tutor me," TenTen laughed as Ren disappeared into the hallway.

The bathroom closest to TenTen's room was, thankfully, empty. Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Konohamaru had made it home before TenTen and Ren. It was honestly surprising that no one had been in it to ruin her plans of a nice, hot bubble bath. With the door closed, hot water running, and bubbles beginning to form in the tub Ren stared at herself in the mirror.

She was so thin it was sickening; the lack of eating had taken its toll on her body. She had always been a toothpick but now she felt like she would fly away like a kite. How could Deidara even want to pretend to be her boyfriend? He was attractive; she was not.

Awkwardly she twisted and turned her body trying to figure out what appeal there could be. Her butt was almost nonexistent, her breasts had shrunk down some since she started doing strength training for martial arts; that was only going to get worse. If she were a guy, she doubted she would give herself the time of day.

That was just her issues with her body. With a frown, she shifted her focus to her face. Her period had come and gone but the acne it had brought with it was sticking around with a vengeance. No amount of skincare seemed to help at all; it wasn't like her entire face was covered but she had gone from one or two to ten or fifteen, not including the blackheads on her nose.

White eyes stared back at her as she scrutinized herself. Those were her least favorite feature. Her nose was stupidly button-like but her eyes -the windows to her soul- looked so lifeless and cold. She always hated being around other Hyugas because they reminded her that her eyes were as ghostly as theirs. Changes had to happen in the Hyuga Clan. So many times Ren had watched Hanabi's eyes light up after being praised by her father; on the same token, Hinata's never had any shine at all. She knew taking over the Hyuga Corp wouldn't make their eyes less haunting but maybe a little bit of happiness would at least make them seem human; she felt like she looked like a porcelain doll; lifeless.

With a shake of her head, she turned away from the mirror and stepped into the tub. The water was so hot that it burned. The more of her body that she submerged under the bubbles, the more used to it she became. Her muscles screamed as the warmth soaked into them like a hot knife through butter; suddenly they didn't feel as tight. "Ah," Ren sighed in relief.

Her cell phone buzzed again and a frown formed on her lips. She wanted to just ignore it but it continued vibrating; the sound was beginning to grate on her nerves. Quickly she dried her hands on the towel she had placed beside the tub and slide up her lock screen. Deidara, Chojuro, and Karasu had all three messaged her. Deidara and Chojuro she had expected; Karasu's message was a different story.

 _I know you're busy but I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you. I seriously am going to hold you to a date on Saturday, yeah?"_ Deidara's messages were more of the same after that. A few were related to his worries about her having a male tutor. They had had that conversation many times before but nothing she said seemed to get it through his head that she didn't have a romantic interest in Chojuro.

Chojuro's messages were about shifting their schedule around to put less pressure on her. She didn't mind him trying to teach her. " _I'm sorry. I just wasn't feeling it today. I feel like I'm going to fall apart physically. I can't do a study session on Saturday but I think I'll be free Friday and Sunday,"_ she replied to his text. She hadn't even bothered with Deidara's.

Now, this led her to a moment of worry. Karasu didn't text her but once a week to check on her; he had already done that. With her breath held she opened the message and read it over and over. " _I have a favor to ask of you. I'll pick you up after school tomorrow if you want. Give me a call when you're free. This is better if asked face to face."_

Her heart raced as she stared at his words. She didn't know how to feel about the request. It was typical Karasu, always if she was up for it, but something about the last sentence felt off. He would normally call her if he had questions about Sasuke; perhaps since she no longer was ever home alone he felt he couldn't do that. With her bottom lip clamped between her teeth, she responded with, " _I have soccer, martial arts, and math tutoring to do tomorrow after school."_

She had just set her phone down on the bathroom floor when it buzzed again. " _It won't take long, I'll take you to school then."_

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she typed her agreement. After setting a reminder on her phone she turned it off and sunk back down into the bubbly water. Her muscles were already beginning to feel better but now her mind was racing. What could he possibly want? She'd been giving him updates on Sasuke periodically since they met but hadn't seen each other in a while; not since before Neji and Tokuma's visit.

With a heavier sigh than her last one, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on nothing but the warm water easing her pain. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

"Ren," Sasuke was pounding on the door, "I need to talk to you."

Exhale quite roughly. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Now," he demanded.

"I'm not dressed you, idiot," she growled at him as she pulled herself up from the tub. Her soreness, confusion, and exhaustion had taken control of her mood. Who did he think he was being so demanding of her. Honestly, he'd have to wait as long as she decided to take. Ren dried her body slower than she normally would have just to spite him.

"I'm opening this door in ten seconds," he growled back at her. "Ten, nine." Ren was rushing to get her underwear on. "Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." Ren had barely managed to get panties on; he counted way too fast. As he opened the door she quickly wrapped the towel around her body with her back to the door. "I thought you were lying," Sasuke stated flatly after he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. Apparently, him that long to even look at her.

Ren felt a wave of horror wash over her the moment the door latched. "What are you doing," she hissed at him, momentarily forgetting that she was nearly naked -only a towel to keep her dignity- as she turned to glare at him. In another world, her focus on him would have been so intense that she could see directly into his very being.

"Quit the soccer team," Sasuke demanded. "You're a distraction."

"You cannot be serious!"

"Naruto keeps making stupid mistakes, Omoi can't pass you the ball, and Jugo is so worried about running you over all the time that he's slow. You're not helping the team, you're hurting it. I am not going to lose every game this upcoming season because someone with boobs is on the team."

Ren suddenly felt so calm as she stared up at him; her anger had reached a stage where she felt almost nothing. A small smile formed on her lips as she took a step closer to her brother. "It's not my fault that they can't focus. I have a right to be there despite my gender. If you guys can't handle 'someone with boobs' then maybe you aren't as devoted to soccer as you thought. I'm not quitting. I don't quit. Either learn to live with it or you quit."

During her speech she had practically pinned him to the door; they were chest to chest and she wasn't backing down even though he was much taller than her. Sasuke was glaring back at her with the same intensity she was him. "You don't belong and will never belong," he hissed.

Ren's confidence faltered and she broke eye contact. With a shake of her head, she stepped back from him. "Get out," she told him flatly. He opened his mouth to say something but she screamed at him, "GET OUT!"

He growled as he opened the door then slammed it behind him. She had been calm and fairly collected but now… she crumbled to the floor and curled up in a ball. The tears wouldn't go away no matter how hard she tried to stop them. His words invoked agony in her more than she ever imagined he could hurt her. "He's right," she muttered to herself as the tears glided down her face and onto her towel.

"Ren are you okay," TenTen asked from the other side of the door.

"I'm fine, he was just annoying," she responded flatly. "I'll be out soon."

She doubted TenTen bought her act but either way the girl didn't come in. With a mirthless smile, Ren rubbed her face into the plush fabric around her knees. She really didn't belong here. She should have been in Hi No Kuni preparing for summer soccer camp. Her mom should've been working with Hizashi-ojisan. Weekends should have been filled with Shikamaru. "I wish I'd wake up from this nightmare," Ren murmured lowly to herself.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** Another chapter out for the world to see. I didn't get as much writing done as I had planned this past weekend but I did manage this so, win! Right? Review if you have any constructive critisisms.


	32. Confiding In Karasu

Heat seeped into Ren's bones as she slipped out of the house; the temperature difference between the house and outside was ridiculous. She could already feel sweat accumulating under her armpits and she was so thankful to have remembered deodorant. Honestly! Whatever Karasu needed to ask her had better be important; she had to walk three blocks just to see him. Stupid man! Why the hell was he trying to hide from Sasuke anyway?

"Hey," Karasu called to her as he rolled his car slowly beside her. "I was trying to catch you before you left. It's going to be hot today. Get in."

Ren stopped and Karasu's car did too. "You told me to meet you down the street," she growled under her breath. She hurried to the passenger side of his car, tossed her backpack in, then planted herself in the seat. "What do you need me to do?"

Karasu's ebony eyes stared at her as silence dragged on. His lips parted but he didn't utter a word before he clamped them closed again. As he put his car back in Drive he took his attention off of her. "What's with the mood today," he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Ren's cheeks tinted pink and she quickly turned her attention out the window. "I haven't been sleeping well, my whole body is killing me, Deidara is being annoying, and Suigetsu was in the freaking bathroom for twenty minutes today. I had to get ready in my sister's room or I'd of been late to meet you. I'm just under a lot of pressure right now, okay?" She wouldn't tell him about her argument with Sasuke; speaking of it made his words impossible to ignore.

"You didn't mention anything about the Hyugas," he pointed out as he flipped his turn signal on. "I'm glad that issue has been put to rest. Deidara is the boy who you're pretending to date, right?"

"Yes," Ren groaned. "He's acting like it's not a fake relationship. We kissed once at a party but I'd been drinking, y'know?"

Karasu cleared his throat and his eyes darted back to her. "You're sixteen," he pointed out.

"I didn't say I made a good choice," she sighed as she raked her fingers through her long black hair. "I was going to completely let that go but now he's wanting to take me on a real date on Saturday and blowing up my phone all the time."

"Why not break things off then," Karasu asked plainly.

He had made it sound so simple. Just break things off. A snort left Ren's lips and she shook her head. "Because if I do that I have to deal with the backlash from him and I'd be right back to getting 'Die Whore' notes in my locker." She shrugged and sunk back into her seat. "I feel like I just can't get a break. I trade one form of hurt for another. When does it end?"

"When you stop letting other people define you," he murmured without looking at her; his attention was on the road and only the road. Ren stared at him; it felt like he didn't understand at all. "It's not been that long since I was a teen," he grumbled, "I get your side of it but eventually you'll grow up and stop caring. That's part of why you have piercings and tattoos, isn't it? You wanted them despite what people thought of you for them. Take that mindset into all aspects of life."

Her blush returned with a vengeance; suddenly her black skinny jeans were more interesting than the handsome man beside her. "G-gomenasai," she murmured.

"Ie, ie," he responded.

Ren swallowed hard and her eyes were back on him quickly. "Y-you speak Japanese?"

"I was born in Hi No Kuni. Sasuke was too. I was thirteen when our family died. He was nearly eight. He probably retained the language too, before you even suggest what you're going to. The common language does not open up a window to speak when he's around. That's what I wished to talk to you about," he told her; he sounded exhausted.

"Okay," she responded quietly. He knew her too well for comfort already. Was she so transparent? With her lip ring clamped between her teeth, she waited for him to say more. When he didn't she opened her mouth to ask him to explain but the darkness visible on his face halted the words in her throat. Karasu seemed so much older as he grimaced at the road in front of them.

"I want to reunite soon. Summer is coming up quickly; when he doesn't have school to worry about I'd like to face him," he finally muttered.

Ren bit her tongue and placed her hand on his knee; it was the safest gesture of comfort she could manage. The drawback was that he flinched. She swallowed hard as she pulled her hand back. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I just wasn't expecting it," he muttered. "I need you to find my window of opportunity. When is he going to be completely free? I will probably send him into a depression; he'll need time to get over that. He'll also need you to help him through it."

"If it's going to be as bad as you seem to think," she shook her head and sighed, "He's not going to be happy with me either. Karasu-"

"Itachi."

"What?"

"My name is actually Uchiha Itachi. When I moved I took the nickname on as my real name but the truth is I am Uchiha Itachi."

"I," she paused and pressed her palms together, "I don't know why it's such a big deal."

"To you and I, it isn't. Our relationship remains unchanged regardless of names. Sasuke will not know Karasu; he knew Itachi. You should be getting used to the idea," he responded flatly.

"I heard Hoshigaki-san call you Itachi once. It's not a surprise but," she didn't finish her sentence; instead she began to rub her teeth against her bottom lip.

"Kisame has always had a loose tongue," he told her with a mirthless chuckle. "Hey, Ren."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Y-yes?"

"Thank you for going along with everything. I know you've got a lot on your plate. It's very kind of you to help me anyway."

His words had been as gentle as a butterfly brushing against her skin. Her heart was beating faster than it should have been and it took everything in her not to press her palm against it. He was the kind one. "We're a team, right? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours?"

"You have been reporting Sasuke's life to me. I picked you up from school once. That hardly seems like an even trade," he muttered.

"Then you can pick me up from school every day. TenTen hates waiting around for me. Would that be a fair trade?" Her heart missed a beat. How foolish of her to ask such a thing! Why did she even think that was a good idea? Such a bold request! Karasu… Itachi was going to squish the little bit of hope blooming in her chest!

He wasn't saying anything; his face was unreadable. She opened her mouth to tell him she was kidding but he pulled the car over and turned to stare at her; once again he left her unable to speak. His ebony eyes were like endless pools of darkness; they were completely immersive.

"I'll pick you up from school but I don't get off work until after five," he told her flatly.

Her heart did some weird flip-flop thing. "I don't get done with Martial Arts until six anyway," she told him gently. Her tongue felt foreign in her mouth; like she had never used the muscle before.

"Alright then. I'll be here at six every day to pick you up and take you home. Just don't expect ice cream every day," he stated. A low chuckle rumbled through his chest and for the first time he smiled a real, true, genuine smile.

"Of course not," Ren told him with a tight-lipped smile and her eyelids closed. "There's bookstores and a pretzel place and supposedly a kickass burger joint." She opened one eye and grinned at him. "I'm kidding."

He thumped her forehead with his index and middle fingers and shook his head at her. "Baka," he murmured with a smile.

Ren bit the tip of her tongue to keep from saying something she would regret. "Thank you for the ride, Ka-," she shook her head, "I mean, Itachi. I'll see you at six then?"

"You will," he nodded. "Do your best today. Try not to worry about other people."

"I'll try," she murmured as she opened the car door. "Have a good day at work," she told him as she climbed out and put her backpack on. "Ja ne."

"Ja ne," he responded before she closed the door.

Ren made her way up the steps to the doors closest to her locker. Before she went into the building she turned back. Itachi was still parked where he had been. With an exaggerated wave, she grinned to herself. Honestly, she couldn't see in his windows to know if he was even looking in her direction. She did -however- notice that when she opened the door and took a step inside he pulled away from the curb. Her heart was still racing as the door to school shut behind her.


	33. Ocean Blue

**Ren Note:** There haven't been reviews for this in a while. I hope you guys are still enjoying it. I'm going to finish it either way but feedback would be awesome. I'm definitely loving the short chapters (as opposed to _All Or Nothing_ 's 9k-30k words per chap) and focusing on one story at a time. I feel less... all over the place. I have plenty of story ideas -they keep coming all the time- but I'm forcing myself to write this and only this. When we approach our climax, I may start posting _The Embrace of Risks_ but not until closer.

* * *

Ren tossed her books into her locker and pulled her backpack out. Kakuzu-sensei had been on her case the entire class earlier in the day; her mind had been everywhere but at school all day. She bit her lip as she put the Economics book in her bag; he had given her extra homework under the ruse of extra credit.

Gym and Chemistry were her saving graces at the end of the day. Momochi-sensei had made her run extra laps but the ache in her muscles was a distraction. Guren-sensei's class had been easy to focus on after that. Somehow she had managed to leave Chemistry without any homework at all.

"Hey," Deidara greeted her as he appeared beside her; it took everything in her not to groan. "I'm sticking around to work on an art project. Did you want a ride home?"

Ren had already slipped his jacket on and closed her locker. "I've got a ride home," she told him quietly, "Thank you. Will your art project take you long?"

"Probably not. I was planning to stick around if you did, yeah," Deidara told her lowly. "I thought TenTen has to leave before you finish soccer today."

"Sh-she does," Ren told him with a half-hearted shrug. "My friend Karasu is picking me up when he gets off work."

His eyes weren't on her but she could see confliction wrote all over his face. "I actually wanted to talk to you about Saturday."

"Oh," Ren murmured as she clutched the strap of her messenger back tighter than necessary. Deidara had fought her at every turn when it came to Chojuro tutoring her; why did he seem so unbothered by Karasu?

"There's this girl, yeah? College babe. Can I take a raincheck with you?"

Ren smiled up at him and nodded her head. "Just take her somewhere you aren't going to run into anyone from school."

"I can promise you that," Deidara told her with a chuckle. "You're the best Ren." He leaned down and kissed her softly before turning to leave. "I'll see you later."

Confusion made itself visible as her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pulled into a tight, straight line. Something was going on with Deidara. Her heart had actually clenched when he mentioned the college girl. He was annoying but up until that moment, it was like he had forgotten they weren't really together.

Ren's eyes darted around the empty hallway; he had kissed her even though no one was around. With her bottom lip between her teeth, she turned away from her locker and took a step towards the exit that would take her to the locker room at the soccer field. He was canceling his date with her -one she didn't want- to go out with an older woman. Why did that hurt so badly? She didn't have romantic feelings for Deidara; the closest she had gotten to that was at Sasori's party.

Truthfully she should have been relieved that he seemed to be changing tracks; his attention was going to be on someone else for a while. As she raked her fingers through her hair realization dawned on her; she felt used. Sasuke's words were suddenly bouncing around in her head again, " _You don't belong and will never belong."_

Ren was halfway to the soccer field but she stopped moving the moment she remembered. From where she stood she could see the guys doing warm-ups in synchronization. She had been slow to get the routine down and always felt a few seconds off. She chewed on one of her lip rings and shook her head; he was right.

With a frown, Ren turned on her heels and walked the opposite direction. Returning to the school didn't even cross her mind as she walked towards the main road and texted Karasu to cancel her ride. It was scorching hot so she slipped Deidara's jacket from her shoulders and tied it around her waist.

This would have felt freeing if she weren't so numb. She had no idea where she was going but she did know that she wasn't going to soccer or martial arts or tutoring. Cars sped by her and with each that passed her hair whipped around with the wind. The sun on her skin soaked deep into her being and warmed the coldness she was feeling. She walked with her head held high and her back straight; Hyuga Ren had just walked away from her problems.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren's phone had been going off for the past few hours; not once did she even remove it from her bag. She had told Karasu she didn't need a ride so there was no real need to even look at it; it was on vibrate mode so it was easy to ignore.

The beach had been surprisingly empty when she arrived. There were guys surfing, a family was building sandcastles, and some ladies sunbathing but overall, Ren was alone. Only a few people were nearby trying to enjoy their day in the sun and waves; everyone else must have been busy.

In two days the beach would be filled with people once again; Ren would probably be one of them. With her butt planted firmly against the warm sand and her bag resting beside her, she stared out into the ocean. The waves came rolling in and pushed the ocean up towards her sandaled toes, never reaching her before it made its retreat to try again.

A sad smile formed on her lips as she thought about it; who had she been kidding? Deidara only liked her because he thought she was pretty and good for his image. TenTen was nice to her but she doubted that would've been the case if she weren't her stepsister. Suigetsu saw her as a source of amusement. Her "friends" only talked to her because of TenTen and Sasuke.

The only person who seemed to enjoy her being here without a push was Konohamaru. With all the extra activities she didn't have as much time to play soccer with him. Guilt began to build in her as she straightened her legs out just a little; the water still missed.

"What are you doing out here, Ren-chan," a gentle voice asked from behind her; she didn't even have to see his brightly colored clothes to know who it was. "You weren't at practice! We've been looking for you everywhere, dattebayo!" He sat down next to her like everything was fine; his arm was up against her shoulder.

"G-gomenasai, Naruto-kun," she murmured as she pressed her forehead against her knees; she was trying to disappear into herself. Of all the people who could've come looking for her, he was the last she expected; honestly, she hadn't expected anyone to at all.

"Sasuke and I have been looking everywhere for you. Why weren't you at practice? TenTen hadn't seen you. Deidara said when he saw you last you were getting ready to head to soccer," Naruto stated with his brows furrowed.

Ren bit her lip; she couldn't look at him. "I," she began but stopped. There were so many thoughts going on in her head that she couldn't keep up with them all. Her heart had been racing since she left. "I don't belong here," she murmured after a few seconds.

"You don't belong," Naruto asked, "How the hell do you figure that?"

Internally Ren was ready to scream and cry; outwardly she remained passive as she hid her face in her knees. "I don't, Naruto-kun," she replied weakly.

"Says who," he asked with irritation lacing his tone.

"Says Sasuke and Karin and everyone else at school," she growled out as she finally turned her head to look at him. When her eyes met his and she saw the shock on his face because of her outburst; tears began to leak from her eyes and she couldn't hold back her grimace.

"Ren-chan," Naruto breathed her name gently. His arms were around her before she could react at all; his embrace only made her cry harder. "Sasuke's a bastard. He's always saying stuff he doesn't mean. His opinion doesn't even matter. None of their opinions do. You seemed so happy to be on the soccer team and I'm glad you joined. People are going to be jerks; believe me, I'd know. The best revenge is to prove them wrong, ne?"

His words had been so gentle but they stabbed Ren's heart like a knife. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his orange shirt as she pressed her eyes against the crook of his neck. "I'm so tired," she whimpered as his hold on her tightened. "Naruto, I'm so tired of everything."

Naruto didn't say anything at first; he simply rested his head against the top of hers and sighed softly. "I get that," he finally told her, "but I also know that you can't give up. I think you belong. Didn't you feel like you did? At least for a minute?"

Ren nodded weakly and let out a breathy, mirthless laugh; Naruto stiffened for a second as the air from it brushed against his neck. "It feels like a cruel joke," she murmured, "Letting myself feel like I did."

Naruto let go of her with one arm and slipped it beneath her bent knees; effortlessly he pulled her onto his lap then went back to holding her tightly. She felt like an infant at that moment. "It's not a joke. That feeling is the real one," he told her gently. Everything about him was gentle; his words, his touch, his breathing on the top of her head… It was all far more gentle than she had ever imagined someone so rambunctious and light-hearted could be.

A faint smile of self-doubt formed on her lips. "I don't know what I'm doing," she admitted. "I have goals but I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. I don't feel like anything is ever going to change. I miss home, Naruto-kun."

"Home isn't a place, silly," he told her with a chuckle that rumbled his chest. "Home is where you can be yourself and feel safe. I get that right now it doesn't feel like this place can ever be but," he cleared his throat, "you just have to keep at it. Do stuff that makes you happy no matter what anyone else says. You've got this. Don't give up, Ren-chan. You're stronger than you think, dattebayo!"

Ren leaned back to stare into his eyes; her tears were still flowing but she couldn't seem to stop them. "N-Naruto," she began as she shook her head without looking away from his calm, cerulean orbs. "I-I'm not."

Naruto wiped the tears from under her left eye softly; his palm remained on the side of her face. "Look, at the end of the day it's up to you but I think you belong and I'm glad you're here."

Ren was silent as she searched his eyes for the truth. After a few seconds, she could see no malice there; he wasn't lying to make her feel better. Without thinking it through she detangled her fingers from his shirt and slipped them up his chest to the back of his neck. "Naruto," she whispered breathlessly, "Thank you."

For a split second she thought about kissing him; instead, she hugged him tightly and leaned her head against his. The idea was frightening. Ren had spent most of her life not thinking about kisses or romance; suddenly she was thinking of ruining another friendship. It took everything in her to stifle a sigh; she loved her friendship with Naruto too much to ruin it by doing something stupid like she had with Shikamaru.

Naruto chuckled at her as his hands rubbed her back softly. "I didn't do anything. You're my friend. If you need someone to pick you up because you're down, I'll do it over and over."

A small smile formed on her lips but it wasn't a happy one. She knew at that moment she had made the right choice. With a slow nod, she detangled her limbs from his. "I'm ready to go home now, Naruto-kun."

"Alright," he told her with a grin. The two of them were on their feet almost instantly. Her bag was extended to her and she took it without hesitation. "I'll call Sasuke on the way back to my truck. He's supposed to be looking for you at the mall. I imagine girls are flocking to him."

"If you knew he was going to be harassed," Ren murmured as she brushed sand from her bag and pants, "why did you send him there?"

"Because I figured the teme did something to you. He was way too quick to state that he didn't do anything. He's a complete asshole sometimes. He deserved it; I could tell, dattebayo!"

Naruto's grin was as bright as the sun; Ren's heart skipped a beat. "You're evil," she told him with a laugh.

Naruto winked at her and extended his hand to her. "Well, let's rescue him then," he suggested with a nod.

"I'm eviler," Ren told him with a blush as she took his hand, "wait to call him until we get to the house."

"I like the way you think," Naruto laughed out as the two of them walked hand in hand off the beach and back to reality.


	34. Brace Yourself

As Naruto's truck approached the house, Ren's heart rate sped up more and more with each second. Things had been fine on the beach; it was just Naruto she had to face there. Now that she was home she would have to explain herself over and over again. The more she thought about that, the worse her anxiety got. Hideki would probably lecture her again, TenTen would be upset, and Konohamaru would probably cry. For that matter, Jia would probably cry too.

"Are you alright," Naruto asked her gently as he stared at her; they were now parked in the driveway.

"I-I'm f-fi-fine," she sputtered out with a forced smile.

Naruto nodded and got out of the truck. Ren wasn't ready yet; her body wouldn't move. There were so many ways going into the house could go wrong. What if she snapped at someone? What if Hideki had had enough of her? This feeling of fear was taking complete control of her.

"Ren-chan," Naruto called out to her as he waved his hand in front of her face. He had opened the passenger door and was staring at her with concern. "Deep breaths," he told her gently. "It's not as bad as you think."

"H-how do you know that," she asked weakly.

"Because I'll be right there with you, dattebayo," Naruto told her with a grin as he pretended to punch her shoulder. "C'mon," he extended his hand to her exactly as he had at the beach. With a gulp, Ren placed her trembling hand in his and allowed him to lead her down out of the truck. Her legs felt like jello the moment her feet touched the driveway. "This is really a fear thing, huh," Naruto asked quietly; his face had clouded over for only a second. "I've got you. You can do this."

Ren's heart began to relax back to its normal, steady rhythm as Naruto spoke. With a weak nod, she murmured, "A-alright."

That was Naruto's cue to guide her around his truck and to the front door. He had sent a text to TenTen when they got in the truck; it wasn't a surprise when TenTen opened the door. Ren squeezed Naruto's hand tighter than she should have and braced for TenTen's rage.

"You idiot," TenTen groaned at her; the older girl hugged the younger tightly; Ren was practically dragged into the house. "You scared the hell out of us! Are you okay? Did something happen?"

Ren bit her tongue to make sure she wasn't dreaming; this wasn't the welcome she had been expecting.

"She was just feeling overwhelmed by stuff," Naruto explained. "And Sasuke definitely deserves his ass kicked."

"I'm gonna kill him," TenTen growled without letting go of Ren. "As soon as he gets here, he's mine."

"TenTen," Ren murmured as she pulled away from her sister; TenTen was ready to slaughter Sasuke and she didn't even know what he did. "I'm fine," she stated with a small smile and a nod.

"Either way, Dad's gonna hear about this. Both of them," she growled out as she stormed out of the room.

TenTen's anger threw Ren for a loop; she hadn't expected it at all. She actually felt bad for Sasuke. "It's not-"

"Nope, you gotta let her do what she's going to do or that rage is gonna come back on you," Naruto told her with a sigh. "You do not want to be on the wrong end of that, trust me."

"B-but," Ren began to argue as she stared down the hall; TenTen had gone to her bedroom.

"Don't do it," Naruto warned.

Ren bit her bottom lip and turned her attention back to Naruto; he was standing there with his hands in his pockets but his face showed his worry as he stared at her. Ren instantly deflated. "F-fine," she murmured, "but warn him, at least."

Naruto laughed a little and shook his head. "You're a good person, Ren-chan."

Ren blinked in confusion and her brows furrowed. "I didn't do anything," she responded weakly.

"You care if he gets hurt or not even though he hurt you," Naruto pointed out.

"I," Ren shook her head, "He was just telling me how he felt."

Naruto shook his head and sighed softly. "Brace yourself, he's back." Naruto nodded his head towards the window.

Sasuke's motorcycle was coming down the street. Ren watched with her mouth clamped shut as he pulled into the driveway then disappeared into the garage. Naruto's hand on her shoulder was the only thing that pulled her out of an almost hypnotic trance. "Any chance I can escape," she asked quietly.

"None at all," Naruto told her with a grimace.

Ren opened her mouth to protest but the door to the kitchen slammed closed and Sasuke's keys clattered against the island. Suddenly Ren's tongue felt three sizes too big for her mouth; Sasuke stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room glaring at her.

"TenTen-nee," Naruto shouted through the house, "Sasuke-teme is home!"

Ren's face paled and her heart began to speed up. She wished she could fade into the floor and never be seen again; Naruto hadn't warned him and she couldn't speak. Sasuke's glare was removed from her the second TenTen tackled him to the kitchen floor. Ren squeaked in surprise and quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

Naruto was looking at her trying not to laugh. "I'm sorry, that was just too cute," he told her when laughter consumed him.

Ren wanted to smack Naruto; she had never wanted to hit anyone until she moved here. Her eyes went back to TenTen and Sasuke. She was pulling his hair and had him pinned while she shouted at him about being a jerk. Ren was pretty sure that if Sasuke really wanted to he could have gotten away; why was he letting TenTen hurt him? Ren turned back to Naruto to ask the question out loud.

"He was feeling guilty anyway," Naruto explained before she could even ask anything, "he can handle the physical stuff. He's kind of a masochist or something."

"Wh-what?" Ren's face was instantly red from blushing; surely Naruto hadn't meant it by definition.

"Okay, so not really," Naruto shook his head, "But he would prefer physical pain than mental and emotional. I'm kind of the same way. I'd rather be hurt than let someone else hurt. Well, except when it comes to Sasuke-teme."

"You're a very kind person," Ren murmured. She had the feeling that if TenTen were actually trying to murder Sasuke, Naruto would have stopped it; their relationship had so many layers. Envy began to bubble its way into Ren's heart; her friendship with Shika had been like that too. He wasn't even talking to her now. She had tried to reach him several times; each call was sent to voicemail; texts and IMs were read but never replied to.

The lump forming in Ren's throat made her feel like she was suffocating; no amount of swallowing would relieve it. "TenTen," she forced out, "E-enough. Please." Her voice had sounded more desperate than she wanted it to. All three teenagers were staring at her wide-eyed. Any other time she would have blushed and been embarrassed with the attention; this time she had too much angst to even care. "Enough," Ren told her with a forced smile.

Before anyone could recover Ren walked away from the trio; the only place she could go was TenTen's room but it would offer a few moments of solitude at least. She wanted to throw her phone out the window, take a sledgehammer to her laptop; she wanted there to be a reason Shikamaru couldn't reach her. A reason for Sasuke to hate her. A reason to-

Sun-kissed arms were now wrapped around her from behind; Ren's laptop fell from her arms onto her bed; she didn't know when she had even picked it up. Tears threatened to pour from her eyes for the third time that day. "TenTen," she whimpered as her head sagged downwards.

"It'll be okay, Ren," TenTen told her gently; the girl had gone from rage to calm so quickly.

"It doesn't feel that way," Ren murmured as she shook her head.

TenTen released her waist to steer her by the shoulders towards the bed. Ren's laptop was placed back on her dresser; the messenger bag was pulled from her shoulder and placed at the foot of her bed. "Sit," TenTen told her sharply but there was no malice in her voice; Ren did as she was told instantly. "Look, I don't know everything that's going on. If you tell me I might be able to help."

"I don't think so," Ren responded flatly as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Let me decide that," TenTen requested as she sat on her bed.

"No kidding," Naruto grumbled out as he entered the room; he was pushing Sasuke in a similar way to how TenTen had steered her. Naruto pulled TenTen's desk chair -Ren couldn't remember a time she had ever even used it- to the doorway and sat down in it like some sort of guard. "We're all here to help."

Ren may have talked to TenTen if it was just TenTen; now she felt like she couldn't say anything. Her eyes lingered on Sasuke; he was standing by TenTen's closet with his arms crossed. At least one of the other three people in the room didn't want to be there.

Her eyes shifted to Naruto; she could trust him like she could TenTen. "I," Ren began but stopped; her lips pursed into a flat line as she scooted back on her bed to lean against the wall. She was trying to put as much distance between herself and everyone else as she could. When they were alone, Ren would vent about Shikamaru but not in front of Naruto and Sasuke."I don't feel like I belong here," Ren murmured lowly as her gaze unintentionally shifted to Sasuke.

"Are you serious," TenTen gasped out as she turned to Sasuke too. "That's what you said to her? You idiot! Why would you say something like that?!"

"Because she's making soccer impossible for us," Sasuke grunted out; he leaned against the wall.

"Are you serious," Naruto asked louder than necessary. "She's making everyone work harder!"

"I-I'm no-"

"Yeah right. You and the other guys can't take your eyes off her! You'd think you'd never seen a girl before," Sasuke growled back at Naruto.

"I don-"

"That's because she can do things we can't," Naruto defended, "She's got this crazy amount of speed and it's hard to watch her movements sometimes! As a team we've gotta know what she's going to do!"

"I'm sor-"

"How can you not keep up with her movements," Sasuke deadpanned.

"E-enough!" Ren's eyes were wide as she stared at the three people in the room; her hand was pressed over her mouth in surprise from her own outburst. They weren't letting her get a word in! "I don't know what you want me to do," she murmured as soon as she looked down; their eyes on her made her uncomfortable.

Naruto and Sasuke both tried to speak but TenTen was faster. "Just play," TenTen sighed. "Remember your team and play. Have fun. You love soccer. Don't let an idiot," her eyes drifted to Sasuke for a moment, "stop you from doing what you love. Keep working with the guys; they'll get the hang of it. Mr. Darui is impressed by your speed. Don't slow down, don't change, just help your team learn."

Ren's eyes were locked on TenTen's chocolate hues. "I-I'll do my best," she offered weakly.

"Tch," came Sasuke's grunt. "Whatever."

"Okay," TenTen growled. "You and you," she looked at Sasuke and Ren. "I've had enough. We can't keep doing this."

"Hey," Naruto said to get Ren's attention, "Remember what I said alright? I meant every word, dattebayo." Ren nodded with a faint smile. "Alright! I've gotta get home."

"Ja," Ren told him with a weak wave.

"Later, loser," Sasuke murmured.

"See you later Naruto," TenTen told him with a sigh, "Thanks for finding her."

"No sweat," he replied. "See ya."

Naruto put TenTen's chair back and then was gone. Sasuke followed right behind him and slammed his bedroom door before TenTen could stop him. Ren's eyes were on TenTen; the older girl was uneasy. "He just needs time to process," TenTen rationalized weakly. "He'll come to his senses."

Ren nodded weakly but she wasn't entirely sure she believed her sister. "I'll talk to him if he doesn't," Ren murmured as she stared at the empty doorway.

"I know you will. I won't tell Dad that you were missing, but I am going to tell him about Sasuke's attitude. Something has to give," TenTen told her with a weak smile.

The faith TenTen put in Ren made her uneasy; Ren knew how much she could take but TenTen seemed to believe she could manage Sasuke. They had had a decent run before she joined soccer but now she wasn't so sure they'd ever be back on friendly terms. Somehow she doubted things would be easier with Hideki's involvement.

Ren glanced at her sister and frowned; TenTen was already starting her homework. That meant Ren should do the same. Economics was an essential class if she wanted to work in the Hyuga Corp but it was almost her least favorite; the only thing worse was Algebra 2. Tomorrow she would have to pay better attention; no way could she handle two days of 'extra credit' in a row.


	35. It's Just a Car

Friday night: The night of putting off homework, staying up late, and having fun with friends. Ren bit her lip as she stared into the empty living room and turned on the light. TenTen was at Temari's. Sasuke was at Jugo's. Konohamaru was with Udon having a slumber party. Suigetsu was staying with some friend whose name she couldn't remember. Hideki and Jia were in the next town over for a business meeting in the morning. Ren was home alone.

Temari had asked her to stay over but she had wanted to spend the night studying after she left her tutoring session; now she regretted her decision. The house was intimidating at night without anyone else in it. Each car that drove by too slowly made her heart race; every time the sea lavender stalks brushed against the house she was ready to jump out of her skin. This was scarier than it had ever been in Hi No Kuni.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and leaned the baseball bat she had found in Konohamaru's room against the wall. " **I changed my mind! Please come get me!"** she typed to TenTen but erased it. If she chickened out now then she would never get the chance to be alone again. With her bottom lip between her teeth, she picked up the bat and flopped down on the sofa. Her stomach gurgled; she hadn't eaten yet today.

"Awesome," Ren murmured as she pulled herself off the sofa and pocketed her cellphone. When she entered the kitchen she noticed three things: 1) There was a note and cash on the island, 2) There were keys to one of the Mercedes hanging on the key rack, and 3) they needed to go grocery shopping. With a frown she picked up the note and read it; basically, Hideki had left her his car and some money to get food.

Ren's heart clenched as she stared up at the keys; did he even know that she had a license? He was either stupid or knew she did. With a frown, she grabbed her messenger bag from the living room and stuffed the money in her wallet. She didn't know where anything was in this town! With a sigh, she searched through her phone for a list of places she may be able to find.

Her heart missed a beat when she saw the pizzeria Sasuke had taken her to on the list. They _did_ have awesome pizza and it wasn't too far of a drive. It was also a fairly straight shot and the directions would be easy enough to remember. With her back straight she locked the front door -turning out lights as she went- and grabbed the keys.

When Ren locked the garage door and turned to stare at the black luxury vehicle her shoulders sagged. This car was worth more than her funeral. Why couldn't Hideki have left the Mercedes to Sasuke or TenTen? Even Suigetsu's Subaru Forester would have been less intimidating. Should she read the manual first? The question made her slap her forehead and shake her head. "It's just a car," she muttered to herself as she pressed the button to unlock the car.

The moment she pulled open the door, all air left her lungs. "Fuck," she breathed out slowly; she had never been in his car. Leather seats, leather steering wheel, black ashwood trim, and more buttons than she could begin to imagine what they did. Ren shook her head and slipped into the driver's seat; Hideki was insanely tall compared to his daughter! Her feet were nowhere near the pedals.

She put her hand under the seat but couldn't find a lever to move it forward; turned out it was an automatic switch on the side. Her eyes were wide as she was slowly pushed the switch forward until her feet were where they belonged. "Holy fuck," she exclaimed under her breath. With the key in her hand, she tapped the button on the dash that looked like a keyless starter; she had seen one of those a handful of times. The engine came to life and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"Okay. Well, we've got that handled," she told the car, "Now to figure out how to turn on your lights, windshield wipers, and pop your hood in case I need that." It was silly to talk to the car but it was someone at least. When she located all of that she turned her attention to the screen in the middle of the dash console.

"What do you do," she murmured as she touched the screen. It instantly came to life and showed so many different things that Ren felt cross-eyed for a moment. Weather, tire pressure, a radio, vehicle assistance. If it could be on a Mercedes-Benz, it seemed Hideki had it.

"Oh! GPS," Ren gasped out as she tapped the screen. With her lip clamped between her teeth, she typed in the name of the pizzeria. Suddenly the car was talking to her, telling her to go East on their street. She slapped her fingers against her cheeks to wake herself up. "It's only a sixty thousand dollars or more car," she told herself, "no sweat. You've got this Ren. Just obey the law and get there."

As she opened the garage door with the remote she debated just walking. This would be a ten-minute drive; it'd take her too long on foot for comfort. With her foot pressed firmly on the break she shifted the car into reverse. "Thank Kami you're automatic," she murmured as a backup camera popped up on the screen. "That's handy."

Slowly she released her foot off the brake after checking her surroundings. "It's nothing personal," she told the car, "It's a habit and not the worst thing in the world." Once she had it backed out onto the street she closed the garage door and shifted into Drive; the backup camera disappeared and the GPS map returned exactly as it had been left.

As her foot touched the acceleration pedal she jerked forward. "Baka. Seatbelt!" At that exact moment, the little man on the dash started flashing and the car was beeping at her. "I'm getting it, I'm getting it," she reassured it as she clicked it into place. "Whew," she breathed in relief. "I'll be more gentle this time," she promised as she eased her foot onto the pedal. The car accelerated gentler and before she knew it she was on her way.

It didn't ride like the Porsche Neji and Tokuma had rented but it was definitely smoother than TenTen's beetle. As Ren came to a gentle stop at the third red light she relaxed. This wasn't so bad. The light turned green and she pressed the gas slowly; suddenly the car came to a stop on its own. Her eyes were wide as she stared out at the road; a car had just run the red light.

Tears began to form in her eyes and she had to blink them away quickly because the car behind her honked. She wanted to hug the steering wheel and thank the car for saving her but instead, she drove up to the next block; she just had to get to the pizzeria and then she could feel any way she wanted/needed to.

Without any further trouble, she pulled the car into a parking space and turned it off. "Thank you," she murmured as she pressed her forehead against the wheel. It wasn't just the fact that she was driving the most expensive car she had ever been trusted with; at that moment Ren wished more than anything that her mother had had this very car. Tears poured from her and she didn't even try to stop them. If her father had taken care of her and her mother like he did Jia and her kids, Hyuga Naoma may have still been alive.

The thought shocked Ren as soon as it formed. She couldn't blame Hideki for her mother's death; all she could do was thank him for unknowingly saving Ren's life. Perhaps this was why he had left her his Mercedes; she wasn't used to driving here. Her slender fingers raked through her hair and she sniffled; she had to regain some composure.

A knock on the dark tinted window dragged her from her silent brooding and had her jerking her head to look out; for a split second, she had wished she brought the bat. Her brows furrowed and she quickly wiped her tears away before opening the door and removing her seatbelt.

"Are you alright," a flat male voice asked her before she even had both feet on the pavement.

"I-I'm okay," she murmured as she stood up as tall as she could and hiked her messenger back onto her shoulder. "Sorry to worry you," she told him with a false smile as she turned to stare up at him. It took everything in her not to blanche as her thistle eyes met ink black orbs. A false smile on a pale face with equally pale lips greeted her.

"Ah," he exclaimed as he closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. "You're the girl Sasuke brought here a while back. I'm sorry but if you're looking for Sasuke, you will not find him here. It is best to just get over him."

Ren almost laughed; he had been almost robotic as he said it and she knew this wasn't the first time. "A-actually," she explained weakly, "He's my step-brother. We weren't on a date. I-I remembered the name of this place and figured I'd come back. I enjoyed the food last time." Ren didn't know when she had decided to start talking with her hands but she felt like they were all over the place. "Y-you're Sai, right?"

The boy had opened his eyes as she mentioned Sasuke being her step-brother; he seemed to be at least a little shocked because his eyes had seemed wider; maybe that was Ren's imagination. When she remembered his name he smiled a more truthful -still fake- smile at her and nodded. "I don't think I caught your name," he admitted.

"I-It's Hyu-, I mean, Hyogo Ren," she told him with a forced chuckle. "You had no reason to know my name." The door closing was almost completely silent; she had to make sure it had actually closed. With a gentle tap of the lock, a quiet beep and the shifting of locks sounded through the parking lot.

"You don't normally drive this car, do you, Miss Ren?"

His question threw her off; she nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned to stare at him. "N-no," she told him with a quick shake of her head, "It's my father's car. I don't have one of my own here. I couldn't bring my bike with me so, for now, I'm relying on the kindness of my siblings and friends."

"Ah, I see," he nodded. "Well, if you're hungry we have about thirty minutes until closing. Come on in." Sai nodded his head towards the entrance before walking towards it.

Ren hoisted her messenger bag to rest more comfortably on her shoulder and followed behind him quickly; he was taller than her and had a head start. When she got to the door he was holding it open and let her go in first. "Th-thank you," she murmured.

"You can sit anywhere," Sai began.

The older gentleman from her previous visit came out from the kitchen. "We're about to clo-" His words halted as soon as he saw Ren. The man was looking at Sai and Ren with his brows furrowed. "Sai, you're supposed to send away Sasuke's ex-girlfriends not invite them in so close to closing."

"She is not his ex-girlfriend," Sai stated, "she is his step-sister, Ren Hyogo, and therefore will not cause damage to your establishment."

"M-may I ask you something," Ren murmured weakly to the older man. "Why would you turn away business for Sasuke?"

"We used not to," the older man -Kentin- told her firmly.

"There were too many that tried to trash the place when Sasuke was not here; we had to start doing something," Sai explained to her.

"It seems like a lot of trouble for one guy. Wouldn't it be easier not to have him back?"

"His dad is a family friend and I like to keep an eye on him. The boy's been through a lot; if I can offer him good food and keep him out of trouble, I will," Kentin responded with a nod.

"That's very kind of you," Ren told him with a false smile that matched Sai's. "I know how big of a pain he can be."

"Well, since you aren't gonna cause any trouble. Pick a table. Once Sai cleans his hands he can take your order."

Kentin was disappearing back into the kitchen before Ren could even think of another question. She bit her lip and took the menu Sai was holding out to her. "Thank you, Sai," she told him sweetly.

With her menu in hand she went to the same table she had sat at with Sasuke. She could understand why it appealed to Sasuke; it was in the corner and allowed a view of the entire restaurant and the parking lot. She found that she wasn't the least bit surprised; it seemed like Sasuke had a lot of girls to watch out for. What could anyone possibly see in him? The girls probably didn't know anything about him or they were just hopelessly dumb.

With her brows furrowed she turned her attention to the menu in her hands; why had she decided to come to a place where Sasuke was going to invade her thoughts? As she scanned the menu she bit her lip. It all sounded so good; that was why she had come. With a small sigh, she began weighing different options and trying to decide what she wanted.

A glass of water with lemon was placed on the table in front of her and Sai stood there with a pen and order pad. A faint blush formed on her cheeks; she had only been here once but he remembered what she got to drink last time. "Th-thank you," she told him with a shy smile. "Um, what pizza is your favorite, Sai?"

"I'm not the one who has to eat it, Miss Ren," he responded in an uneasy tone.

"I-I know," she murmured as her face turned red. "I was just hoping for a suggestion."

"Of course," Sai told her with a fake laugh, "How silly of me. Very well. I am partial to Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives with asiago and mozzarella cheese on tomato sauce."

Ren's blush began to fade as she listened to him talk. "Th-that sounds good," she told him truthfully, "I'll try that and some breadsticks." Her stomach almost growled at the thought of food.

"As you wish. What size?"

"A medium," she murmured as she handed the menu to his outstretched hand. It had olives on it and she knew no one, especially Suigetsu, liked them. This would be a pizza she would get to enjoy.

"I'll bring it out to you as soon as it's ready," he told her as he stuck his pen back in the pocket of his dress shirt.

She unintentionally watched him as he disappeared into the kitchen. If she were honest he wasn't bad to look at; he almost reminded her of a male version of a porcelain doll. The irony was that there were times she felt like the female version. With a quick glance at her own skin tone, she dismissed the idea; she hadn't tanned any but she wasn't as pale as Sai. He always seemed so emotionless, too. She wondered if it was possible to make him really smile. Everyone deserves joy, don't they?

Ren's phone buzzed inside her bag and she quickly dug it out of her bag. "Deidara," she groaned quietly to herself. He had been pestering her since she left school that day; Chojuro's study sessions still seemed to bother him. She bit her lip; perhaps she should have just asked Karasu -Itachi- to take her somewhere instead of coming out by herself. He made it easy to let go of her frustrations just by listening to her; Deidara was definitely a frustration.

Ren opened her messenger app and furrowed her brows as she stared at the picture message notification. What could he have possibly taken a picture of that was so important? She instantly regretted looking. Deidara had his hand on a blonde girl's breast and his tongue down her throat. She didn't care that he was having fun but it hurt to actually see it; this also meant that either Deidara had mastered the art of perfectly timed selfie delay… or someone else took the picture and sent it to her.

She didn't want to do this anymore; faking a relationship with the blond artist hadn't gotten her anywhere except off radar at school. All she had asked of Deidara was that he kept it private. It seemed he had failed to do that. Perhaps she should have asked more details about this college girl but at the end of the day, this was Deidara's doing.

With a staggered sigh, she typed her message telling Deidara that she would no longer be seeing him then blocked his number. With a frown, she forwarded the picture to TenTen and Temari telling them she had broke things off with him. She told them she was fine before they could even ask. Ren didn't feel fine; she felt like a complete idiot.

"I'm heading out," Kentin told her as he approached the table. "Stay as long as you'd like. Sai could use the company."

Ren's eyes darted up from her phone to Kentin. "I'll keep that in mind," she told him with a forced smile. "Have a good night."

"You too, doll. Sai told me you don't have a car. If you need a job, just let me know. I've got an opening," he told her with a shrug.

"Won't that be Sasuke's position," Ren asked with her brows furrowed.

"Nah, he's a summer delivery driver. I need someone to help man the store too. Sai, Kotetsu, Izumo, and I do alright but an extra hand during the evening would be helpful."

"Don't you need references or an application?"

"Sure do," he told her with a chuckle, "if you're interested fill this out. Any family of Sasuke's is welcome here. He's a hard worker."

Ren smiled politely and took the paper from his hand and sat it on the table; it was covering her cellphone now. "I have a lot on my plate right now but the minute I'm ready to find a job, I'll fill this out and bring it back. P-please, don't think I'm going to be like Sasuke. We're completely different."

"Like the moon and the sun," Kentin chuckled as he nodded to her. "Goodnight, Miss Hyogo."

"G-goodnight," she murmured. With tentative hands, she pulled a folder from her bag and carefully stuck the application inside it. When she put her bag back on the chair next to her and looked up she almost jumped out of the chair; Sai was back with her breadsticks. "O-oh," she gasped as she pulled her phone out of the way. "Th-thank you."

"No problem," he told her with false cheer. "Your pizza will be ready shortly."

He walked away again and Ren's brows furrowed again. Could Sai really use the company? He seemed fine; it was like he didn't care if he was alone or not. Ren's lips pursed; she knew everyone liked having friends.

She nibbled on a breadstick, sipped her water, and bounced her leg up and down as she waited for him to return. If she was going to be an idiot, she wanted to just get it over with. The moment he sat down the pizza, Ren croaked out, "Do you want to join me? I could help you clean up after?"

"Thank you, Miss Ren, but I should not."

"B-but," her mind faltered; she had no comeback. "Please? It's my first night home by myself." When the words left her mouth she instantly regretted them; how pathetic?

Sai actually seemed conflicted before he sat down. "Then I will keep you company for a little while," he told her gently.

Ren's heart skipped a beat; he seemed to be smiling a real smile. "You should smile more," she murmured out loud.

"I think I smile most the time," Sai told her with his brows furrowed. "Do I not?"

"N-no, you smile but it doesn't meet your eyes," she responded honestly. "Happy smiles mean a lot more to people, including you, don't they?"

"Happy," he asked but he seemed distant and confused.

"A-ano," Ren muttered before she chewed on her bottom lip. It was hard to explain what she meant. "A feeling deep inside you, y'know? One that makes you feel lighter and makes your worries seem far off. Sometimes girls make guys happy. Sometimes video games make people happy. It's a feeling that makes a smile genuine."

"I see," he murmured, "I've read a lot about emotions but I don't know that I've ever experienced happiness for a long period of time. Mostly, I'm just calm."

Ren frowned and offered him a breadstick. "Your girlfriend doesn't make you happy?"

"She did not," he told her with a quick shake of his head before he took the bread. "I was comfortable but she was unhappy. We have been separated for almost a month now." He wore a false smile as he spoke.

"Didn't it make you sad not to be dating her anymore?"

"No. She was bossy and didn't care for art. I asked her to let me paint her portrait once but she refused. It would have taken too long for her liking."

"I'm so sorry, Sai," Ren told him with her brows furrowed. "You like painting?"

"And calligraphy. I find them calming," he murmured after he swallowed his bite of bread.

"That's really great." Ren's smile wasn't real but she had hoped he wouldn't notice. "I'm actually jealous. I can't paint or draw very well."

"It's not about how well you do," Sai responded with a false smile of his own, "It's about enjoying the process. If you worry less about making it beautiful, you'll enjoy it more. Sometimes what one person finds beautiful isn't the same as someone else."

A weak smile broke across Ren's lips as she tucked her long black hair behind her ears. "I guess that's true. We're the same way with people, aren't we? Some people like people who are blonde; others prefer people who are tall. We all have our own unique tastes."

"You're sad," Sai pointed out bluntly.

Ren's smile faltered and she nodded. "I was kind of dating this guy and he went out with someone else. It wasn't anything serious but I feel pretty lousy. She's the exact opposite of me."

"She's ugly?"

Ren's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "N-no! She's tall, blonde, and has-" Ren blinked. "Wait," she murmured. "D-did you just call me pretty in a roundabout way?"

"The opposite of ugly is beautiful, not pretty."

She opened her mouth to tell him they meant the same thing but she couldn't do it. He was staring at her like he hadn't just complimented her and she grinned at him with a blush rising up her cheeks. "That's very sweet, thank you," she murmured weakly. It was so stupid that she was so happy because of his compliment. She didn't feel like he was saying it just to make her feel better; he genuinely meant it. Ren officially had a crush on Sai; she hadn't when Sasuke thought she did but now…

"You're welcome," he told her with a smile. "Are you happier now?"

"I am," she admitted. "Can I maybe see some of your artwork sometime?"

"I would like that," he answered; his voice had actually sounded a little excited.

Ren offered him a slice of pizza and asked, "What's your favorite thing to paint?"

"I find myself painting animals quite often," he replied as he took a slice.

Ren had started him talking on impulse but now she was so glad she did. He wasn't bubbly like Naruto or overly bored with everything like Shikamaru. Sai wasn't a complete jerk like Sasuke or a flirt like Suigetsu. Sai was Sai… and Ren thought she could definitely see them as friends, at least. She doubted he would ever be mean to her or lie to her or make her cry; those were important things when it came to friendship.

There was something about those ink black eyes that drew her in. Sasuke and Itachi's were dark but Sai's were darker. She wished to see them light up with joy but couldn't explain why. There was something about seeing the sadness in a person that made her want to give them a nudge towards happiness.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** This chapter is a bit longer than the previous ones. I have been writing and rewriting this chapters since ch 30. I know how this is supposed to go but lining everything up while still following my inspirations is proving to be difficult. I'm doing my best. I hope you guys enjoyed it.


	36. Crushes Crush

**Ren Note:** We have a wee bit of a time-skip here. I hope I explained that part well enough. There are drastic changes on the horizon. R &R, please.

* * *

Ren laid stretched out on a beach towel while everyone around her laughed and talked about summer plans. She and Sasuke had just returned from soccer camp but everyone else had already had two weeks of summer under their belts. Her eyes drifted over towards where Sasuke had been but he was gone; he hadn't spoken to her since she ran off in the middle of Spring. That suited her just fine; she no longer cared about him at all.

Naruto ran past her without even saying a word as he grabbed the pinkette newcomer around her waist and then threw her into the water with her kicking and screaming. Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura were both in Nagisa for vacation. Ren wished soccer camp would have lasted another week so she didn't have to see them; they were a painful reminder of how her life used to be and the people missing from it.

A pale hand was placed on her arm and her eyes darted up to Sai. She still didn't know how she had convinced him to come with her to the beach but she was glad. He was a friend that was strictly hers; she had befriended him all on her own. The problem was that she hated the way Ino kept staring at him and flipping her hair. "Are you alright," he asked.

"I'm doing okay," she murmured, "You aren't getting sunburnt are you?"

Sai laughed -a real true laugh- and shook his head. "You have applied enough sunscreen to me that I do not think I will need it for a week."

Ren's cheeks blushed and she casually slipped her fingers between Sai's. "I just know how much sunburns hurt," she defended.

"I know," he replied with a smile as he squeezed her fingers lightly. "Thank you for caring."

It was hard to believe that a few months ago she had gone out on a limb and asked him to eat with her; now they were good friends and sometimes people thought they were more than that. If Ren was honest she wanted more than that. Her plan to gain no attachments had been foiled thoroughly by Sai, Naruto, Temari, TenTen, Konohamaru, and Itachi.

Ren's heart clenched when she thought of Itachi; so far he had not been able to reconcile with Sasuke because she hadn't found an opportunity. Soccer camp had killed the opportunity and she hadn't even seen him since she got home; it had only been a few days but she felt guilty.

Her eyes focused on Sai but he was staring out at the ocean; all thoughts to ask his advice left her as she sat up enough to look where he was. "If you like her," Ren told him weakly, "why not ask her out?" Her heart felt like it was in a vice as she spoke; she wished he would look at her like that.

"She's not my type," Sai told her with a gentle smile. "She's fine to look at but everyone looks at her." His eyes landed on Ren and his smile grew, "She is not shy or modest like you are, Ren. I do not think I would get along with her."

Torture… he was torturing her! Ren forced a smile and laughed weakly. "That's part of the appeal, isn't it? She'd say what she wants, feels, and needs. She'd be easy to understand, wouldn't she?"

"You're right," he told her with a nod, "but I've learned through the course of our friendship, easy doesn't mean better. It would have been easy for you to ignore Deidara's cheating because he was safe to be with. You chose to deal with the repercussions of breaking up with him instead. It would be easy for you to tell Sasuke how you feel but you don't because it would make him upset. By watching you I have learned many things."

Ren's brows furrowed at the mention of Sasuke but she bit her tongue; the less she knew about Sai's take on that the better. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with her step-brother. It had been a long time since she had even joined in on his movie nights with Naruto; it hurt her that Naruto no longer even asked. "I don't think I'm the best person to learn from," she murmured.

"You're giving yourself too little credit, again," Sai told her. "Miss Yamanaka seems to just enjoy the attention. I cannot decide what Miss Haruno wants. She does not seem to like Naruto's attention but is constantly looking at him."

"That's because he's with Sasuke," Ren sighed out as she set up completely. "He's attractive, dark, mysterious, and totally impossible to catch. She's the same way with a guy named Kiba in Hi No Kuni. He's so focused on his dog and fun that he doesn't take the time to date for more than a week at a time. Sasuke gets annoyed and dumps them." She shrugged and sighed. "She's just going to get her heart broken."

"Miss Haruno is your friend, isn't she?" Ren blinked in confusion. "If she is, you should warn her and listen to her problems."

Ren almost laughed. "She's friends with Ino. Ino's friends with Shikamaru. Shikamaru was friends with me. Sakura and Ino aren't really my friends. I just know them. They're more acquaintances than anything."

"Oh, I see. When Miss Yamanaka screeched at seeing you and Miss Haruno hugged you, I thought they were dear friends."

"N-not at all," Ren told him with a frown. "They're just girls I went to school with. If I'd have stayed home or shown up in Hi No Kuni alone it wouldn't have been that way. They kind of pretended I didn't exist until they wanted Shika to do something."

"You miss him," Sai pointed out.

Ren bit her lip and laid her head against his bare shoulder. Sai's skin was warm but not from the sun; they were under an umbrella for shade. She had been trying to get her to notice her as a woman but it always turned into this; he would point her emotions out to her and then she would lose all motivation to try to win his heart. At this point she gave up; his friendship would be enough… just like with Naruto. "He'll talk to me, eventually," Ren murmured.

"Have you asked them?" His eyes were on the two girls enjoying their beach vacation.

"I'm afraid to," Ren groaned, "If he's happy then I'm going to feel awful. If he's miserable I'm going to feel guilty. I've tried talking to him too many times just to be ignored. The best I can do is make sure they go home and are able to report that I'm okay. When I go see Neji in at the end of the week, I'll visit him. Hizashi-ojisan has actually agreed to let me stay for a week. Hideki argued about it but… it's not like I can't afford to on my own now that-"

"Don't say it. You always cry when you say it."

"I-I know," she breathed out heavily. "Either way, I'll get to visit everyone. Who knows, maybe I'll even visit Shino."

"Ew," Sakura grumbled as she sat down on Ren's towel. "He's super into bugs now. Before it was whatever; now it's not. He carries them around with him everywhere."

"H-he's keeping track of different species. His family raises different insects for different purposes," Ren defended.

"I'd still suggest you steer clear," Ino grumbled as she sat in front of Sai with her long legs stretched out, "his bugs bite."

Ino's chest had developed more than Ren's and her purple bikini hugged her in such a way that Ren wasn't a guy and _she_ could imagine getting a boner looking at her. Her eyes drifted to Sai; he was a goner. The way he shifted his legs was an indication that he didn't have to imagine getting one; he already had one. It was only a matter of time before Ino successfully enthralled him; Ren had lost. "I'll keep that in mind," she muttered as she stood up and slipped her swimsuit cover on. "I'm going to head home now. I have a date. I'll text you later, Sai."

Sai looked at her puzzled but she simply waved to the group and walked away with her beach bag on her shoulder. She didn't have plans or a date but she couldn't stand to watch Sai drool over Ino; she was positive he didn't even know he was. It was worse watching Sai drool over a girl than it was Naruto. Sai internalized it while Naruto made an idiot of himself. Two of the guys she had been crushing on had thoroughly crushed her heart as soon as Ino and Sakura popped up in the mall.

When she reached the pavement of the parking lot she slipped her flip-flops on and began walking towards TenTen's beetle. Her heart stopped when she saw a red Dodge Charger with tinted windows parked right beside it. Foolishly she walked up to the passenger side and opened the door. "I was just thinking about you, Itachi," she told him with a lopsided smile.

"Good, I've been trying to call you. Ice cream?"

"I'll never decline your offer," Ren told him with a grin as she slid into the passenger seat. "I just need to text TenTen so she doesn't freak out," Ren explained as she pulled out her phone then buckled up.

The doors locked as he shifted out of Park. The moment they were away from the beach he told her, "You're too predictable sometimes. Or, perhaps TenTen is. She is always parked in the same general location."

"That makes it easier for you to find me, doesn't it?"

"That's true," he hummed. "What's wrong?"

"Boys are hell," Ren told him with a forced laugh. She hated how easily he could read her.

"The blond or the creepy one?" Itachi's eyes weren't on her and his tone was flat.

"Sai isn't creepy," she pouted, "he's a really good listener and nice." Itachi had been passive-aggressively teasing her about her crush on Sai for weeks. Somehow the older man had become a confidant when there were things she couldn't tell her friends. He teased her but she found him comfortable and easy to talk to.

"So he's the culprit?"

"Both," she deflated. "My old classmates Ino and Sakura are here on vacation. I feel pretty invisible right now."

"If you told either of them how you feel, that may not be the case. You have a beauty of your own that either would be fortunate to enjoy."

"Naruto sees me as a sister like TenTen. I can tell by the way he treats me. Sai is," her words trailed off as a blush swallowed the paleness of her cheeks.

"Completely clueless," Itachi asked with a chuckle.

"Y-Yes. I don't think he's ever had a girlfriend that didn't demand things of him. I don't know if I could deal with that and I don't want to ruin another friendship like I did with Shikamaru."

"That is understandable but if you don't express how you feel you make regret it later."

"How can I?"

"Very easily."

"Then how do you feel, Itachi? You never say that. I've never seen you look at a woman or a man. How can you tell me to express how I feel when you don't? What if it's just because they're my friends?"

A low growl escaped Itachi's lips and he gripped the hair at the base of Ren's skull, jerking her head back to look at him; they were at a red light. A gasp escaped her lips before he told her, "I am able to control how I feel without giving it away. I do not have time for lust."

"I didn't ask about lust," she muttered. "I meant love." To her surprise even though Itachi had her by the hair she wasn't hurt or worried.

Itachi's eyes glazed over and he released her hair. "I don't deserve such a thing and refuse to bring someone else down with me."

"Everyone deserves love, Itachi. Whatever you did is not a death sentence. I think while I'm in Hi No Kuni you should meet Sasuke. Even if it's on the day I'm coming home. Remove me from the equation so that he can feel however he has to towards you before that turns on me. If he's distracted by anger towards me he won't come to terms with you. Everything will be fine. You'll fix your relationship with him and then you can let go of this 'I don't deserve love' thing."

"Dear, sweet Ren," Itachi murmured as he fixed her hair with one hand. "Someday you will hate me, too. When you return, be prepared to console him. Our Clans were similar, millennia ago. You will know how to deal with the formalities and traditions he will need to."

"I don't understand," she murmured. Whatever Itachi had done… It would be impossible to hate him. He was her guide through the city, her confidant when no one else could be, and she respected him more than she had ever respected anyone so close to her own age.

"You don't have to yet. Strawberry Cheesecake?"

"Sure," she told him with a nod. She chewed on her bottom lip as they approached the ice cream place and asked the question she had been fumbling over. "Why would you expect me to hate you?"

"Because right now you are young and naive. Someday you will not be. Someday soon you will know everything that I have done and you will no longer enjoy my company," he told her flatly as they turned into the parking lot.

"You're only five years older than me," she stated firmly, "Perhaps you are as naive as I am when it comes to that." Itachi stared at her with his ebony eyes wide and his jaw slightly slack. She spoke again before he could. "Itachi, you're a precious person to me, one of my dearest friends. I wish you would tell me the truth, not what you're going to tell Sasuke or what the rest of the world thinks. I know you want me to comfort Sasuke but the truth is that I don't like him very much. He's selfish and rude; he's the exact opposite of you. How could I hate you and like him? You're being foolish to think that the past can change how loyal I am to our agreement and friendship."

Itachi swallowed hard; Ren had watched his Adam's apple bob up and down. "Perhaps this isn't the place for this talk," he muttered weakly. "Want to get your ice cream and I'll take you home?"

"No," she told him with a quick shake of her head. "I want you to tell me what's going on."

"I meant my home," he told her quickly.

Ren's cheeks turned Scarlett and she looked away from his eyes; they were probing into the inner workings of her mind. "A-alright," she told him. "I want to know the full story before I leave anyway. D-do you live alone or-?"

"Yes, I live alone. Kisame is my partner at work and neighbor but you will not have to deal with him today if that's what you are worried about," he told her flatly. "Wait here, then. I do owe you your ice cream."

As Itachi got out of the car her heart clenched. If this were a different man this situation would be a lot more stressful. She couldn't picture Itachi having his way with her; she could admit that the idea made heat begin to build in her abdomen though. Itachi was safe to be around. He wouldn't overstep his boundaries without her consent. She was anxious as she sat there trying to control her breathing but she wasn't scared. It was a little nerve-wracking to know that she was going to be in his home alone with him.

Excitement bubbled deep within her heart because she would finally know the truth about Itachi. Their evening drives from school to her house had slowly but surely secured their friendship but Ren could admit she didn't know much about his personal life. For all, she knew he could've been happily married with six kids or something. Knowing him on a deeper level was something she hadn't realized she wanted until that moment.

Her door opened and Itachi handed her a sugar cone with two scoops of strawberry cheesecake ice cream. "You get it on the car, I'll make you lick it clean," he grunted as soon as her fingers were around it.

"I'll do my best," she gasped out wide-eyed. Honestly, she wasn't sure if he was serious or not but she did always clean up her messes. "Qu-question," she murmured when he was back in the driver's seat, "Is it safe to drive with an ice cream cone?"

"Nope," he told her before licking the Mitarashi Kurumi scoop on his own sugar cone. Ren hadn't meant to watch him so intently but she did. "Here. Don't let it drip," he told her with a smirk.

"H-how am I supposed to keep it from dripping," she asked quickly.

"Lick it when it starts to drip," Itachi told her with a brow raised. "I'm not afraid of your cooties, just don't eat it all."

Ren wanted to disappear into the seat of his Charger. "O-okay," she told him with a nod. He may not be afraid of her germs, but the last person she had exchanged germs with was Deidara and that had gone _great._ It was worse than an indirect kiss, this was like her licking his tongue and when she gave the cone back he would be licking her tongue.

"Earth to Ren," Itachi chuckled out, "You're about to drip."

Ren's eyes landed on her cone and she quickly swirled it around to keep it from being messy. The problem came when Itachi's decided to drip too. Tentatively she licked the dripping portion and exclaimed in awe, "It tastes so much like mitarashi dango."

Itachi laughed out loud once then clamped his lips shut. "That's the point," he told her with a gentle smile. They had been driving for a short while already. "I have a weakness for sweet things, especially dango."

"I'm kind of the same way but my ultimate weakness is shoutao," she admitted. Her brain was working overdrive and seemed to not care what came out of her mouth. "I used to hate the anko inside them but I have developed a taste for it."

"Perhaps on your birthday, I'll have to take you somewhere to get them if we are still on speaking terms."

"We're always going to be on speaking terms," she told him with a small smile.

"We shall see," he hummed.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi's home was modest and nearly empty when she stepped inside. He had rescued his ice cream from her but didn't complain about how much of it she had actually eaten; instead, he had taken a big bite from her cone. "Make yourself at home. Have you received your final grade yet," he asked as he sat down on his couch without any hesitation.

To her own surprise, she sat next to him and tucked her bare feet under her butt. She was a guest but being around Itachi was comfortable. "I managed a three-point-seven GPA. I owe Chojuro a lot for helping me out with Algebra. Next year I should be able to complete all my requirements for graduation then I'll be able to decide if I want to take another year and stock up on credits or move on to college."

"That's great to hear. Which route will you take?" Itachi seemed to be more focused on his nearly-finished ice cream than her; he kept coming up with new ways to distract her from asking for the truth.

"I'll probably go on to college. Neji is going to need me office-ready as quickly as possible. We've got to be a power team if we're going to take over the Hyuga Corp," she told him with a frown; she knew Itachi's standing on the matter but hadn't let him change her mind.

"I still wish you wouldn't waste your time on it. The Hyugas are old blood, old money. They will not be so easily changed," he told her gently.

"That doesn't make me want to change them any less," she told him with a small smile, "I know Neji would make an amazing CEO. We aren't doing it because it's easy; we're doing it because nothing will change if we don't." She nodded then finished her ice cream cone while staring directly into Itachi's eyes.

"Perhaps we are not so different," he murmured so quietly Ren had almost missed it. "When I was thirteen my family had planned to take over a large number of smaller businesses. They were in a power grab with the Hyuga and Senju clans and didn't care what happened. My father was the CEO of Sharingan Enterprises and didn't care how he managed to outdo his competitors.

"I was a young man but not an idiot; I had known what they were plotting. I told the Senju CEO that my father was planning to take out his competitors because I had hoped it would help but it did not. Sasuke was at school when the fire swallowed the entirety of their homes; it spread too fast and there were no survivors; the Uchiha Clan was no more. There was never any tie to the Senju Clan but I will always blame myself."

Ren stared at Itachi with her eyes wide. She had heard about the Uchiha district going up in flames but she was so young that it didn't really affect her; at that point in her life, it was just something that made grownups sad. Quickly she was on her knees with her arms around Itachi's neck and her head on top of his. "You idiot," she grumbled, "you didn't do anything. They investigated it for months but determined it was just a gas leak in the CEO's home. With every building so close they all were swallowed. You were trying to keep the Uchiha Clan from making a mess of things. You were trying to prevent a large-scale disaster. Oh, Itachi," she sighed against his dark hair, "don't blame yourself."

"How can I not," he murmured against her collarbone as his hands found their way to the sides of her abdomen. His fingers clutched the fabric of her swimsuit cover and she could feel his shallow breaths against her chest. "I should have handled it differently. I should have gone to my father directly."

"If you had, would he have listened? Would that have prevented a gas leak," she asked gently as she brushed her fingers through his ponytail.

"I will never know," he murmured.

Ren's heart hurt so badly for him and there was nothing she could say to express how wrong he was. "Itachi," she tried but then bit her lip. With a soft sigh, she began again, "Sasuke will understand. Don't tell him it's your fault. It's not. Let him make his own decision about what happened. Show him the police reports and newspaper articles. Let him draw his own conclusions without you leading him to the same one you have."

Itachi leaned back enough to look up at her with his brows furrowed. "I left him all alone," Itachi told her, "that is enough to condemn me on its own."

"You were thirteen! You had no way to take care of him by yourself," she reminded him as she brushed her fingertips against the worry lines beside his nose. He shivered at her touch. "The past is done and over. All we can do is move forward and do better with the lessons it has taught us. My mom always told me that," she informed him with a sad smile.

"She sounds like she was a wise woman," Itachi murmured.

Ren nodded her head then pressed her forehead against Itachi's. She had never touched him for more than five seconds -that wasn't how their friendship worked- but now she felt like she wasn't in control. She wanted to bring him comfort but her words weren't enough. Her mother would play with her hair, kiss her forehead, and hold her until she felt better; Ren would attempt to do the same. She would pour her heart into bringing him comfort.

"Ren," Itachi said her name weakly. "If you don't add some distance between us," his words trailed off and he lowered his hands to her hips.

Ren's eyes widened and she blushed bright red. She didn't have much experience with romance or the opposite sex but she could tell what he had meant; her lower abdomen flamed as her insides flip-flopped. Five years age difference between the two of them; sixteen was the age of consent so it wasn't illegal. "I don't care," she murmured. With her breath held she lowered her lips to his and pulled her body closer to his.

Itachi groaned against her lips as he moved his right hand to the back of her head and his left arm pulled her against him tightly.

There had been a reason the two of them had never touched, she decided. Her body felt hot as his tongue darted into her parted lips. He knew her mentally and emotionally far better than anyone else in Nagisa. Itachi allowed her to be herself thoroughly without judging her. Sai and Naruto were attractive, understanding, and enjoyable company but Itachi was more reliable and mature; at that moment her crush on both of her friends vanished and was replaced with a deep ache for the man whose hands made her feel safe.

He broke the kiss and dived down to kiss her neck and collarbone; a moan unintentionally broke from her lips. "I should take you home," he murmured before his teeth grazed against the protruding bone.

"Y-yeah," Ren whimpered as she tilted her head back and unintentionally pressed her breasts towards him more.

"Tell me to stop now or I won't," he pleaded as his hands slipped under the coverup and his fingertips grazed against her pale flesh.

"I don't want you to," she whimpered before she claimed his mouth with hers again.

His lips and tongue felt hot in/against her mouth. He stood up and lifted her with him; her legs wrapped around his waist. Neither broke the kiss until Ren was flat on her back in Itachi's bed. "Last chance," he told her hoarsely. Instead of replying with words Ren raised her hips to push her core against him. A growl escaped his lips. "As you wish," he promised before pulling the swimsuit cover-up over her head.


	37. Hi No Kuni Homecoming

**Ren Note: Please review if you like the story or have criticisms. I'm writing and posting these as quick as I can. Thank you for your time.**

* * *

 _Ren laid in Itachi's bed with her forearm pressed against her eyes and his sheet over her bare body; it was hard to breathe even now. Itachi was laying beside her with his arms around her waist and his nose buried in her messy hair. "Do you regret it," he murmured sleepily as he kissed the top of her head._

 _Ren's heart was as satisfied as her body; she pulled her arm down and leaned away to look at him with a shy smile on her face. "N-not at all. Do you," she asked him weakly. Fear had set in as she worried about whether or not he had used her._

" _No," he told her before pressing his lips against her bare shoulder. "You are mine now." A small smirk appeared on his lips; it was almost predatory._

 _Ren tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled his lips to hers. "And you're mine," she told him before kissing him again._

As Ren sat in Hizashi's office she had wished that memory wouldn't have resurfaced right then and there. She felt foolish enough for wanting to text Itachi from the time she woke up until the time she went to bed; remembering the things he did to her in front of her cousin and uncle would not bode well for her.

"There are just a few more papers I have to fill out, then we can go get something to eat," Hizashi told her without looking up from his desk; his pen didn't stop for even a second.

Ren nodded and told him, "Take your time." She hadn't been back in Hi No Kuni for even an hour yet. She was in her dress skirt and a white blouse with her hair in a bun like he had requested of her; the plane ride had been uncomfortable and awkward in these clothes. Tokuma had picked her up from the airport and escorted her all the way to the fourth from the top floor.

Hizashi's office had not changed at all since the last time she was in it; the only difference was her mother wasn't the one outside taking phone calls. Neji had been in and out of the office with different papers throughout her wait; it took everything in her not to smile about him already having an internship there.

Her agenda was already packed full of plans. Tonight she would go to dinner with Neji and Hizashi, the next day she and Neji would visit Hinata and Hanabi, and the day after that she would drag Neji to the mall to meet up with Lee, Choji, and Shino. She wasn't sure when she would go to see Shikamaru but it was something she had to do. He couldn't ignore her if she was standing in his bedroom.

"Ren-chan," Hizashi called to her, "Will you go find Neji and tell him I'll be ready in about ten minutes?"

Ren got to her feet and bowed lowly to her uncle. "Of course, Hizashi-ojisama," she told him with a small smile. She was glad to be getting up and moving; if she remained seated a moment more she might have fallen asleep right there in his office. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Tell my secretary, Ima, she is free to leave for the evening. She is to finish up her work quickly and answer no further calls. Perhaps if she hears it from you she will not protest."

"A-are you having trouble with her?" Ren hadn't meant to voice the question out loud but there it was.

"She is money hungry and a flirt," Hizashi told her in distaste. "Your mother is irreplaceable. The seven secretaries I've been through are all disappointing."

Ren forced a smile and nodded. "I know the feeling. She was one of a kind."

"You're graduating next year," he asked. She nodded. "Perhaps you could start interning here afterward. It would be nice to see a familiar face around here."

Ren thought of protesting -she would have before- but silenced the urge. "I will definitely consider it. Tokuma and Neji have made me decide that this is where I belong. I plan to work hard on my studies so that I do not disappoint."

"I'm relieved to hear that. I'm proud of you," Hizashi told her with a gentle smile.

Ren felt pride bubble into her heart and she stood a little taller. For so long she had wanted to hear a male tell her they were proud of her. Growing up she had longed for her father to show up and encourage her; her father was in her life now and still didn't utter a single word of praise. It felt so silly that now she had finally received that from her favorite uncle; he was one of the people she fought at every turn about her goals in life. "Arigato, Hizashi-ojisama," she told him with a nod, "I'll go find Neji now."

When Ren stepped out of his office she felt lighter than she had in a very long time. Determination sunk into her very being and she walked up to the secretary's desk outside Hizashi's office; it faced the elevators so that it was the first thing you saw when getting off on this floor. "Hizashi-sama says that you are free to go home as soon as your work is finished for the day; he wants it completed post-haste. He has also requested that you take no further calls this evening. Thank you for your hard work," Ren told her flatly with a fake smile; she was sure she looked like Sai at that moment.

The woman's eyes widened for a split second before she leaned back in her chair. "In all due respect, Ren- _chan_ , I will not leave until Hizashi-sama has told me that himself." Her smile was smug and she crossed her arms over her chest, effectively pressing her breasts upward; they had already been threatening to spill from her blouse.

Ren had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from growling at the woman who was sitting like a whore in her mother's seat. This had been a position Naoma had worked hard to enter. That chair was a sacred place for only the most trustworthy. Ren instantly knew Hizashi had been right not to like her. "I apologize for the inconvenience of taking orders from me," Ren began sharply, "However if you will look behind you, you will see that Hizashi-sama has already closed his blinds and that is an indication that if you bother him right now, he will not be pleased. He has requested that you clock out for the evening so that he can leave shortly as well. You are no longer needed for the evening."

"You're definitely their daughter," the woman grumbled as she picked up her suit jacket and purse. "A word of advice, _kid_ ," she told her as she pressed the elevator call button. Quickly she turned back to face Ren. "Just because you're Hideki and Naoma's daughter… Just because you're going to be Hizashi's daughter-in-law, doesn't make you invincible to all the little bugs beneath you. Your mother would've been wise to have remembered that; no one below this floor was sad to see her go. At least one of your parents was smart. When you return to Nagisa, tell your father Hyuga Ima says hello."

The woman disappeared when the elevator doors closed and it took everything in Ren not to rush to them and force them open. Her brows were furrowed and her heart was racing. Without a thought, she sent a text to Itachi asking him to look into her mother's death, if he had time. Ren's blood was like ice flowing through her veins and it was harder to breathe now.

She had known that most of the 'lesser branch' shunned her mother but to hear that they were happy she was gone hurt Ren's heart; her mother was the kindest person she had ever known and hearing her being bashed by people who didn't even know her was infuriating. There had been many times when Naoma had saved people from being fired or offered to be a reference for those who were. Ren's mother was a saint; if any of them had anything to do with her death she would-

"Ren? Are you alright," Neji asked as he came out of one of the nearby offices. She could hear him but couldn't see him through the tears forming in her eyes. His hands were on her shoulders and she could feel him shaking her. "Ren," he called to her as everything went black for a few seconds.

Ren's eyes opened slowly as she stared up into Neji's face. He had her leaning against him and had been slapping her face gently. "N-Neji?"

"You fainted. What just happened," he asked with concern visible on his face. His brows were scrunched down and he was staring into her eyes as closely as he could without their noses touching.

"I felt lightheaded because I was angry. Next thing I knew my eyes were closed and I could hear your heart racing."

"It is not racing," he deadpanned.

"It's right by my ear, I think I would know."

"That's not even important right now. Why were you angry?"

"Your dad's secretary said some pretty awful things," she murmured as she closed her eyes again; a soft sigh escaped her lips. She couldn't bear to look at Neji right now.

"Like what," he asked skeptically as he helped her into one of the leather chairs near the elevator.

"Like the lesser branch is glad mom's dead. That just because we're supposedly getting married in the future I should remember my place. I get the feeling she had something to do with my mom's death," she responded sharply. Her eyes were now fixated on his while she searched for something; perhaps she hoped his eyes would tell her she was overreacting.

"Ren, you know it was an accident. She's just jealous of you. Ima is the type who would say anything to make others feel awful so that she can feel superior for a moment. She knows that if you were qualified her job would be yours," Neji stated with absolute certainty.

"I was just doing what Hizashi-ojisan asked," Ren growled out, "I'm not trying to take her stupid job."

"No, it will be handed to you; at least that's how she sees it," he told her with a sigh. He lowered himself to sit on the carpet in front of her.

"But it won't," Ren protested weakly. Her eyes turned to the large window overlooking the street and her brows furrowed; she would have to work harder than any of them could begin to imagine. Their ignorance made her so angry that she actually wanted to punch someone, preferably Ima.

Neji placed his hand on her thigh and rested his head on top of it. "We both know that. That's not our end goal anyway."

"When you're CEO, maybe it'd be best to fire some of the people that don't have the company's best interest at heart. Replace them with people outside the clan who would actually want to do their jobs," she suggested as she brushed her fingers through his hair; how had this turned into her comforting him? His hair was smooth and silky; Itachi's was more coarse and thick. Unintentionally she had begun comparing the two of them; perhaps it was because Ima had brought up their false betrothal and her heart already belonged to someone else.

"Ima only wants in my dad's pants so she doesn't have to work," he murmured.

"Exactly. It's good to be determined to earn rank but not to use people to do it." Ren couldn't see Neji's face, only the back of his head. A small frown formed on her lips when she realized he was hiding from her on purpose. Why the world believed that Neji would marry Ren, she never knew. It wasn't even something their parents had humored; Naoma and Hizashi had both always shut down the idea.

"We aren't getting married, either," Neji told her flatly. "I mean unless we fell in love or something crazy like that. Don't think that I'm expecting you to give up all aspects of your life for me."

Ren's heart clenched; there were some underlying feelings behind his words but she couldn't decide what they were. She was slowly getting to know Neji but she couldn't read his mind. With her lip clamped between her teeth, she nodded her head. A slow, soft sigh escaped her lips and she leaned back in the chair. "I think I'm suffering from jetlag," she muttered.

"That honestly doesn't surprise me. It's not like you to get overly emotional and faint," he told her as he moved to the chair beside her. Unless there was someone watching them on a security camera, no one would ever know they had been so friendly together for a moment.

"I'm always emotional," she told him with a faint laugh, "I'm just usually more in control of it. I don't think that part has anything to do with jetlag. I think it's all the time I spend with my sister and little brother. They've ruined me. I'll never be the cold doll Hiashi-ojisama wishes us all to be."

"You're one step closer than the rest of us to the happier people you think I'll be able to make," Neji told her with a smirk. "It's much easier to read your moods now."

"That's so mean," Ren groaned, "I still can't read you!"

"And that's how I like it. There are things about me you need not know right now," he told her with a soft sigh.

The conversation was halted because Hizashi stepped out of his office. "There you two are." He offered a small smile. "And I see you got rid of my secretary. Well done."

"That woman is awful," Neji grunted out as he stood and offered his hand to Ren; when she was on her feet he released her.

"I don't think there's a thing she could do that would surprise me," Hizashi hummed as he pressed the elevator call button.

"How about speaking ill of Hyuga Naoma to her daughter," Neji asked as the three of them waited for the elevator.

Hizashi's eyes were widened for only a split second before his face returned to its normal passive exterior. "We can discuss that in the car. Perhaps takeout would be better than a restaurant?"

"I would appreciate that," Ren murmured as she stepped into the elevator first. "I'm pretty worn out."

"Very well," Hizashi told her with a nod. He pressed the button for the ground floor. None of them were standing too close to the others. "We'll have to order from that place you like so well that sells shoutao."

"You remembered," Ren asked breathlessly.

"Your mother and I talked of our children frequently; your favorite sweets were one of many things she told me about."

Ren's heart was torn between depression and happiness; on one hand, Hizashi knew about her life and cared to show it but on the other, she was wrapped up with the idea that her own father didn't spend time with her at all. If things went south with Itachi and she did end up marrying Neji, there were worse men that she could have as a father-in-law. It took everything in her not to be overly excited when she thanked him for his kindness.


	38. You're Wet

The gardens at the Hyuga Estate were in full bloom. Birds chirped in the distance merrily to each other. A fountain made soothing sounds as the water flowed down into the koi pond. If Ren had not grown up around this very place, she might have believed it was the most comforting and peaceful place on earth.

Sadly Ren knew it wasn't. She had watched Hiashi-ojisama insult his daughter, ignore Neji, and praise Hanabi in such a way that she was turning out to be just like him. There had been tears and blood fertilizing this garden; it was where Hinata and Hanabi's mother used to find sanctuary and where her body was found on the night she died.

This had never been Ren's favorite location but it was one that Hiashi always seemed to bring her to on days with nice weather; his daughters, apparently, weren't so different. His shy eldest daughter sat in the grass next to Neji and Ren with her hands in her lap and her back straight; she seemed uncomfortable as Hanabi showed Neji and Ren all the gymnastics routines she had learned.

The teenagers were silent as the young girl flipped and twirled. For some reason, Ren hadn't realized that Hanabi and Konohamaru were close to the same age until that moment. She was just a young girl trying to earn her father's approval; Ren could understand that far more than she cared to admit. Hanabi twisted her body in the air and then landed with her hands stretched high above her head. "Ta-da," she panted out.

"Well done, Hanabi," Hinata told her with a gentle smile. "You did very well."

"You are improving greatly," Neji murmured with a forced smile.

"Good job," Ren told her gently with a false smile of her own.

"Thank you," Hanabi stated with a beaming smile; she gave off the impression that she was full of herself.

As Ren's eyes drifted over to Hinata, she figured that wasn't too far from the truth. Hanabi had always been told she was better than her older sister; that didn't stop the younger sister from trying to impress the elder girl, however. Ren could see the confliction in Hinata's eyes as she stared at her baby sister. It wasn't hard to imagine what Hinata was feeling. She was torn between pride in her sister and misery in her own failures.

"Can we get lunch now," Hanabi grumbled as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I'm starving."

"Of course," Hinata replied as she stood up. "What would you like me to make?"

Neji got to his feet then helped Ren to hers; if he hadn't she wasn't sure how she was going to get up without flashing her underwear. Ren was not against skirts but she certainly wasn't used to them. "Thanks," she whispered to Neji; she had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from smiling at him. She felt like she wanted to do that far too much.

"I want ramen," Hanabi pouted, "from that place down the street."

"But Hanabi," Hinata protested gently, "I haven't got my allowance yet. I'm sorry."

"I'll buy it," Ren blurted out with a forced smile; she didn't want Hanabi to argue with Hinata any more than she already had. "It's not like I get to see you two very often and it'd be nice to hang out away from your house."

"Why don't you like our house," Hanabi asked with her brows furrowed.

Ren opened her mouth to apologize but Neji scooped the young girl up into his arms and told her, "Because the walls have eyes here and that makes it less fun."

"Oooooh," Hanabi said with a small laugh.

Something in Ren stirred at the display. Neji was cold on the outside but he was good with kids; Ren had learned that when he chased Konohamaru around her backyard and didn't argue about buying him his Boruto action figure; Neji had even taken the time to set it up. She bit the inside of her cheek; did Itachi like children? Was he as good with them as Neji? It wasn't like she was planning on getting married and starting a family right away but she hoped to someday.

"Are you alright, Ren-nee," Hinata asked from beside her without looking at her.

"I'm really happy to be back, even if it's just for a short time," Ren told her. "I'm sorry to worry you."

"No need," Hinata told her with a brilliant smile. "I know we haven't been close in the past, but I've missed seeing you around at dinner parties and family functions."

"I've actually missed going to those," Ren told her with a faint laugh. "I've made a few good friends in Nagisa, though. I know you'd like being around them too."

"I-I don't kn-kn-know a-about th-tha-that," the younger girl sputtered out.

"I guess we'll find out when you come see me before school starts back up," Ren teased. It was weird to not be the shiest person around but it was comfortable. Ren had always felt like she could be herself around Hinata; most times it was the other people around them that made it impossible.

"I-I su-suppose," Hinata murmured.

"Are we ready to go," Neji asked as he finally put Hanabi back on the ground.

"I'm ready," Hanabi shouted as she jumped up onto Ren's back.

Ren was thankful her hair was in a bun; that was something she never thought she'd say. "Hang on," Ren told her with a low chuckle as she linked her arms around Hanabi's legs. Things had changed between the Hyuga cousins since Naoma's death; Ren hated that her mother was dead but she was relieved that things were improving for the better. With any luck, Hanabi and Hinata wouldn't hate her and Neji when they were through with the Hyuga Corp.

"H-Hanabi," Hinata chided, "Don't just jump on people like that! What if you had hurt Ren-nee?"

"I'm fine," Ren assured her as Hanabi tightened her hold on her shoulders. Truthfully Hanabi wasn't much shorter than Ren but that didn't phase her at all. "Lead the way, Hinata-chan," Ren told her with a grin.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren had made the mistake of asking Itachi how he felt about children in the future; his response was that he was taking things one day at a time. She was frowning as she sat in Hizashi's kitchen staring down at her tea.

"What did that tea ever do to you," Neji asked as he sat next to her with a cup of his own.

"It didn't do anything," she murmured as her eyes drifted shut. "I'm just brooding, I guess."

"Pray tell," he told her with a smirk.

"I'm seeing someone. No, the Hyuga Clan would not approve, before you even ask. I guess I'm being dumb but I hope to marry him someday. He's really smart, has a great job, and is the kindest person I have met since Okaasan died. He makes sure I'm okay and that I never feel alone. I guess my problem is that I don't know what he wants from life." Ren sighed and raked her fingers across her scalp. "That and I think I'm getting dandruff from all the hair buns."

Neji chuckled at her last statement and shook his head. "What do _you_ want from life?"

"I've already told you that I want to help people," she murmured with a shrug.

"That's what you want to do for a career," he countered. "I meant in your personal life. Do you want to get married and have children or travel the world or make your career your entire life?"

"We both know how well life goes when careers are a person's main focus," Ren muttered. They both knew she had been talking about her uncles and mother. "I don't want to give my entire life to the company. Okaasan made time for me but I felt pretty lonely at times; I wish I'd of cherished the times she was with me more. I want to get married someday, own a house, have kids, and enjoy life."

"For some reason I never expected you to want a family life." Neji was staring at her so intently that she blushed under his scrutiny. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I just always pictured you as a girl who would follow a band around the country or race motorcycles for a living."

"That is very stereotypical of you," Ren responded sharply. "I am insulted, Hyuga-san! How dare you think so lowly of your future wife." She couldn't hold back the laugh she had been suppressing.

Neji laughed with her then shook his head. "Oh? Like you don't have some idea of who I'll be in ten years."

Ren's laugh faltered. "I think you'll be successful in your career, happily married, and a great father." Her words had been quiet but she knew he had heard them because his laughter had stopped too. She swallowed hard and looked away. "Your future is what you make it. It doesn't matter what I think. Just do what makes you happy, Neji."

"This guy doesn't have any future plans?"

"He's taking things one day at a time," she murmured.

"He's an idiot."

"He's not. He's just very hard on himself. It's almost like he thinks his brother is going to kill him over the past or something. He'd sacrifice his own happiness for Sasuke's."

"This suddenly sounds a lot more complicated. What have you gotten yourself into?"

"Nothing. It sounds complicated but it really isn't. He's just… Sasuke's biological older brother." When she said it like that it felt much more complicated; she had always separated the two of them and almost forgot they were related most the time.

"So you're dating your step-brother's brother? And he's older?"

"Y-Yes," she murmured as her shoulders slumped.

"I'm not judging you," Neji reassured her. "And for the record; you'd make a great mom. You're good with Konohamaru and Hanabi. If what you want isn't what he wants, maybe it's best to end things quickly. You don't want to give your mind, body, and soul to someone who doesn't share your goals."

Ren's cheeks were cherry red as she stared at her teacup. "Y-yeah," she murmured. "Speaking of giving away my body," she bit her tongue and decided to change subjects. "I'd like to see Shikamaru soon. He's been ignoring me and I just want closure, I guess."

"You deserve an explanation," Neji nodded in agreement. "If you'd like we could go tomorrow."

"I kind of made plans to meet up with a few of the guys from the soccer team tomorrow," she told him with a nervous laugh. "I hope that's okay."

"That's fine by me. I'm just your chauffeur."

"You're more than that and you know it," she pouted.

"Oh right, future husband. Forgot that part."

Ren picked up a cushion from one of the chairs and thumped him on the head with it. "It was a joke!"

"So was mine," he countered as he pulled the cushion from her and returned the hit.

"You are so mean," Ren growled out as she tackled him out of his chair and onto the floor.

"You started it," he laughed out as he grabbed her wrists to keep her from pretending to punch him. Ren's smile faltered when she took in the situation; she was straddling his waist. A blush quickly formed on her cheeks and he rolled her so that he had her pinned. "What's wrong," he asked suddenly with his brows furrowed.

"N-nothing," she grumbled as she reached up to pull his hair. This was different than with Itachi; this was roughhousing. Ren was ashamed of her body for reacting to it the way it just had.

Neji growled low in his throat as she playfully yanked his head backward. "I'm going to bite you," he warned her. She faltered for a moment and sure enough, Neji bit her cheek lightly as he pinned her hands above her head. "I win," he told her smugly.

"Only because I let you," she growled out as she pushed her hips upward to throw him off balance.

The two of them separated instantly; Ren scooted towards the kitchen table and Neji pressed his back against the counter. "W-we never speak of what just happened," Neji demanded as he looked anywhere but at her.

"A-agreed," she murmured as her face flushed scarlet. Ren decided at that moment that roughhousing with Neji wasn't as different from her experiences with Itachi as she had thought. "I-I'm going to bed now," she told him as she got to her feet.

"N-night," he grumbled.

Ren was so embarrassed that her steps were unbalanced as she made a break for the guest room. It was normal, right? Touching evoked that kind of thing, didn't it? Ren covered her eyes with her hands and groaned. Neji had had a boner! How was she supposed to look at him the same now? Suddenly Ren stopped breathing; it was impossible for him to know that her body had reacted to his, right? "Kami, kill me," she prayed as she slid into her bed.

Her phone vibrated and her night suddenly got much worse. " **I talked to Sasuke. I think it'd be best that we do not see each other again. He didn't take any of it well. I refuse to allow you to go down with me. You deserve better. Forgive me."** Tears began to pour from Ren's eyes as soon as she saw those words. Itachi had just broken up with her; love was cruel. Her phone slipped to the floor with a loud thud. A few seconds later there was a knock on her door.

Neji came in without waiting for her to answer. "Look, Ren, I didn't mean to-" His words stopped the moment he saw her curled up crying in the bed. "What's wrong? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you!"

"N-no," she murmured. "No need to worry about what Itachi wants in life. Turns out I'm not it."

"What happened?" He was sitting on her bed with his hand on her shoulder as that question left his lips.

"Sasuke happened," she told him while fighting back a sob. "I should've known he'd put Sasuke before himself, before me. Pretty much, he thinks breaking my heart is protecting me."

"I told you he was an idiot," Neji murmured as he pulled her against his chest.

"I'm the idiot that got so caught up in it. I ruined another friendship, Neji."

He petted her hair and leaned back on her bed with her. "How is it that I end up with the repercussions of your affairs? With Shikamaru, I had to stand there while you peed on a stick. This guy, I get my shirt wet and angry. I'm going to lock you away from guys."

Ren laughed once, "You're a guy too, you know."

"Exactly why you need to be locked away in a tower or something. You're halfway to Rapunzel," he murmured as he slipped her long hair through his fingers. "If it gets any longer you're going to be walking on it."

"It's not that long," she murmured.

"It's getting there. It's at the back of your knees."

"Okaasan never cut my hair," she murmured, "I've never wanted it cut."

Neji pulled her closer and sighed against the top of her head. "What am I going to do with you? We have a plan to follow, remember? Fall in love but don't let it destroy you."

"Neji?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I turn you on or was it just the fact I'm a girl?"

"I'm leaving now," he groaned as he slipped off her bed.

She didn't let go of him though. "I'm serious," she whined.

"I could ask you the same," he retorted as he tried to pry her fingers from his shirt.

"I'm hormonal, I guess," she whispered while looking down. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you," Neji sighed. "We're teenagers, it happens. We were just too close. It won't happen again."

Ren felt like her heart had been put in a meat grinder then handed back to her. "N-Neji," she murmured his name before he even turned to leave. "Please stay with me."

His shoulders slumped and he shook his head. "Don't beg like that," he groaned.

"I just don't want to be alone. I promise I won't rape you or anything. Just… please stay." Tears poured from her so quickly that she didn't even see him return to the bed. It wasn't until he sat down that she knew he hadn't left at all.

"You're hopeless sometimes," he muttered as he laid flat on his back and pulled her against his chest.

"I-I know," she sobbed into his shirt.

She had barely cried when her mother died. During the time Karin had the entire school believing she was pregnant, she had not cried in front of anyone. All the times Naruto failed to see that she was flirting, or Sai thought she was just being kind… Her father's disinterest in her life. Everything that had weighed on her was suddenly too much to bear. Neji hadn't been her friend until she moved but that didn't stop him from comforting her because it was what she needed. "I'm so sorry," she cried out.

"You've got a lot going on," he muttered as he rubbed her back. "I'll stay as long as you need me to. We're a team, right? Can't accomplish anything if one of us is destroyed. If it's just because of Sasuke, maybe things with this guy aren't a lost cause."

Ren smiled before another sob escaped her. "I don't know, Neji. He's got it set in his mind that he deserves nothing but hatred."

"We can't save everyone from themselves, Ren."

"I-I know," she deflated; there were no more tears left to shed.

"Get some sleep," Neji whispered to her. She lifted her head to stare at him in horror but he quickly added, "I'm not going anywhere. If we're meeting your old teammates, we'll need to at least get a little sleep."

Ren nodded weakly and placed her head back against his chest. "Neji," she murmured, "You're wet."

"I'm fully aware."

"Can you take your shirt off?"

"You're going to be the death of me," he groaned as he pushed Ren off of him so that he could sit up. When his shirt was tossed off the side of her bed he returned to his back. Ren draped her arm over his chest and rested her hand on the shoulder furthest away from her. His arm wrapped around her neck and she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder like a cat. "I am in complete control of my body," he grumbled to himself.

"What," Ren asked with her brows furrowed.

"Good night," he sighed.

Ren's brows furrowed because she was sure he hadn't said that but she was too exhausted to argue the point. Their relationship had officially taken a strange turn but she couldn't be bothered to care. Neji's body found hers attractive. It was normal for a guy to be attracted to a girl; it didn't change their goals for the future or their partnership. Neji didn't have time for romance and she was heartbroken; no matter what, Ren would learn from her past mistakes. No man was going to enter her body before marriage again. If they were married, he couldn't leave her after...

* * *

 **Ren Note:** Please don't hate me! Itachi isn't a bad person, I'll never pretend he is! I just... it's for the plot! *Hides*


	39. Playfully Pestering

Ki Square was buzzing with shoppers when Ren and Neji finally arrived. The mall was crowded but it was more bearable than Nagisa's; it was almost ironic that the mall she had shopped at for years suddenly felt small. There were people rushing by the two of them, others taking their time, and a few trying to juggle too many purchases as they made their way to another store. Mostly the crowd was just teenagers with nothing better to do.

They had arrived later than they had planned; Ren was sure Choji, Lee, and Shino would already be waiting outside the Korean Barbeque Grill. "I think I understand what you meant now," Neji told her as he grabbed her hand and led her around a group of teenagers that were blocking part of the hallway. Ren's brows furrowed and she squeezed his hand to get his attention; she felt like a child being dragged around by her older brother. "I mean with the size difference between the two malls. This one feels insanely little now."

"I told you so," Ren told him with a light laugh. "Honestly Neji," she shook her head at him, "You aren't going to lose me here."

"Better safe than sorry," he told her flatly. "What time were they supposed to meet you?"

"Ten minutes ago," she grumbled after she looked at her phone. "I regret not going straight to bed last night."

"You'll be alright. They'll understand," Neji told her with a sigh. "Being asleep wouldn't have changed the guy's text, it just would have postponed your knowledge of it."

"I know," she muttered, "I just," her words trailed off.

"I know, I know," he responded with a nod. "If you can't let him go when you get home, go talk to him. Hash it out. I doubt it will change anything but perhaps you will feel better."

"I will," Ren agreed with a nod. She had to do her best not to think about Itachi; quickly she turned off her phone. Her eyes were scanning the area the moment her phone was nestled in her back pocket.

"There they are!" Ren nodded towards the three boys she had spent most of her time with and forced a grin. "C'mon!" Her hand was detangled from Neji's and she was running over to them without giving herself time to think. The moment she was in range she threw her arms around Choji and was honestly surprised when he remained on his feet; she had worried for a moment that she would knock him off balance.

"Ren-chan," he asked with a laugh.

"G-gomenasai, Choji-kun," she sputtered out as soon as she realized how out of character the action was for her. "I-I was just really excited to see you guys," she muttered.

Neji stood behind her with his arms crossed, Shino was blank as he looked at her, but Lee threw his arms around both Choji and Ren to hug them tightly. "Ren-chan I have missed you more than words can express," he shouted in her ear; poor Choji was just an innocent bystander pulled into the fray.

"I've missed you too, Lee-kun," Ren grunted out as she fought to breathe. Choji's shoulder was smooshed against her face and her elbow was pressed into his ribcage; if Lee didn't release them they were both going to be hurt.

"Let go, Lee," Choji grumbled.

Lee released the two of them and started spouting apologies but Ren laughed. "Lee-kun," she told him with a grin, "It's been too long." Her eyes drifted over to Shino; he seemed to be watching the display but it was impossible to tell with his glasses on. Ren waved to him awkwardly and he waved back; yes, he was watching.

"This isn't getting food," Choji whined, "I'm so hungry."

"You're always hungry," Ren murmured under her breath. "We'd better go get a seat then."

The five teens entered the restaurant and were seated at a large table. Choji ordered for everyone before anyone could speak. Lee and Choji were talking about soccer, plans for the following school year, and what she had missed but Ren wasn't paying much attention. "I'm sorry I didn't get in touch with you sooner. I never see you online," she told Shino quietly. Neji was watching her like a hawk and she shifted under his scrutiny.

"That is because I always appear offline," he stated, "Why? Because it saves me from the headache of being asked for notes, party invitations, and Kiba."

Ren laughed lightly and shook her head, "That makes sense. Why was it that you were asking about me?"

"Because I was going to ask you out and then you vanished," he replied without any emotion.

"O-oh," was all Ren could say for a moment; her cheeks were tinted pink. Her eyes focused on Neji; he was clutching his skewer tighter than he needed to and seemed upset. Ren lifted her foot up and brushed the toe of her boot against his calf; she didn't want him to ring Shino's neck for something so silly. "I'm sorry, Shino-kun."

"No harm was done. I managed to find a date for my father's banquet." Shino seemed completely unbothered by the matter so Ren let it go with a shrug. "We have been taking a vote about who plays on a college team," he informed her, "You haven't received many bets in your favor."

"That's only because we didn't know she was still playing," Choji said defensively.

"I never doubted you for a second, Ren-chan," Lee exclaimed.

"I'm not sure if I'll play in college or not," Ren stated. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from looking at Neji in horror; he had grabbed her leg and untied her boot. "I'm planning on making my business degree my only priority. If I get a soccer scholarship, that's one thing but I'm not going to push it." A squeak left her lips at the end; her eyes were wide as she stared at Neji; he had no removed her boot and was, apparently, trying to tickle her foot.

"I'm sure you can catch the eye of at least one scout," Neji murmured before taking a sip of his water.

Ren went to tap his hand with her foot but found his thigh instead. How were Choji and Lee not seeing this? It was stupidly exciting even though it was just Neji trying to tease and embarrass her. He pressed her socked foot against his thigh to keep her from trying to kick him again. "I guess we'll see," she responded with a shrug.

"How are things going in Nagisa," Shino asked quietly.

"What's their team like," Choji asked at the exact same time.

"Well," Ren looked at the two of them, "The team is hardworking and dedicated. You'll have a rough time beating them this upcoming year for certain." Her eyes shifted to Shino and she offered a smile. "And, Shino-kun, Nagisa is hot. Some days we have advisories to remain indoors as much as possible. I've made friends and absolutely adore my step-sister and half-brother. They're probably the only thing that keeps me from running off and joining the circus." She quickly laughed so everyone knew she was joking. Neji pinched her little toe and glared at her; he had known better.

"I forgot that Shikamaru said your dad had a whole family there," Choji said gently.

"Yes, he does," Ren murmured; the mention of Shikamaru had hurt but the reminder that her father had had a life without her was the icing on the cake. "He's really happy now. He's got a great job, an awesome house, five kids including me, and a wife that shares his ambitions."

"It's weird though, right," Choji asked.

"It's beyond weird. I feel like I've been pulled into a different dimension or something. The weirdest part? I think about them all the time. I wonder how TenTen's doing without me. Is Jia having trouble with the contractor still? Is Konohamaru eating his vegetables or is Suigetsu pumping him full of fast food? It's strange but they've all become part of my daily life and I don't know how I let that happen." Ren bit her lip and stared down at her plate; Grill Master Choji had placed a steak on her plate at some point.

"It sounds like you are getting along with them wonderfully," Lee exclaimed with a bright grin and a thumbs up. "We are all glad to hear that you are adjusting."

"It is a relief," Shino stated in agreement.

Ren's eyes found their way to Neji's; he had been awfully quiet and hadn't messed with her since Shikamaru was brought up. He nodded his head towards Choji. Her cheeks puffed up and she shook her head; his response was to pinch her foot. With her brows furrowed she turned to Choji; Neji had won this round but she would not give up the war. "Ch-Choji-kun," she murmured, "how's Shikamaru doing?"

"Have you not talked to him," the chubby boy asked. Ren simply shook her head. "He's been going out with Tayuya a lot. He seems to only have time for her. It's like she's got him under some spell or something. He's either sleeping or with her every time I text him. I've been busy with my own stuff but he seems to be avoiding everyone."

A frown formed on Ren's lips that she couldn't hide. "I'm sorry to hear that," she murmured. "I'm going to try to see him tomorrow, I think."

"If you do, make sure you go before noon or he'll be with her again," Choji told her with a nod.

"Thank you Choji-kun." Ren forced a smile that she didn't mean and took a bite of her food. "You are still the grill master," she exclaimed, "how do you do it?"

"He refuses to share his secrets," Lee sighed. "I, too, wish to know how it is done."

Ren smiled weakly as the conversation fell back into topics that weren't as uncomfortable. Her eyes returned to Neji but he wasn't paying attention to her; his eyes were on his food and he was adding something to the conversation. It was cruel and stupid but Ren slid her foot up his thigh a few inches. His eyes were wide as he stared at her. Ren was not going to let Neji torment her without a fight. The remainder of lunch was spent trying to get the other to draw attention to the situation; neither was victorious but they both left the restaurant blushing.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I can openly admit that I struggled with this one. It's one I seriously thought about skipping over but... I love Choji, Lee, and Shino so I couldn't do it. I needed a break between the heaviness. Next chapter Ren goes to see Shika. After that, she returns home to confront Itachi. I wanted a little happy before the storm.


	40. The New Shikamaru

The Nara residence was a log cabin that sat in the middle of an open field; the clan owned a great deal of farmland on the outskirts of Konohagakure. It was amazing that she had convinced Neji to let her come alone. Ren was always at ease when she stepped onto the property and saw the deer roaming around. Bringing Neji here wouldn't have been the end of the world but it would have made the experience less enjoyable; he was constantly picking on her now.

Cautiously she made her way to one of the fences and extended her hand. A light brown deer approached her and sniffed her hand before resting its snout against her palm. "Ohayo," she whispered to the deer, "are you the fawn I saw last time I was here?"

"She's growing like a weed," Shikaku told her as he came up the path behind her. "Pretty soon she'll lose all the spots on her back and be ready to join the rest of them."

Ren gently brushed her fingers against the coarse coat on her chin. "Do you think she remembers me?" The fawn's mother had been unable to care for her and was sick more times than not. Shikaku had taken to raising the baby by hand shortly before Ren's mother died.

"I'm sure she does. You're the only person she'll approach except the clan. She knows you helped feed her and brushed her when she was small. If you don't believe me, just look into her eyes and see for yourself," Shikaku told her with a nod.

"Thank you," Ren whispered to both the deer and Shikaku. "I came to see Shika," she murmured.

A low chuckle rumbled Shikaku's chest as he crossed his arms. "I never would have guessed. How's Nagisa treating you? You must be getting a lot of sun. Your skin's got a glow to it now."

"Th-thank you. It's going well enough. I should be able to graduate next year. The way Nagisa has their schedule actually gives me the opportunity to take more classes at once. Don't get me wrong, I felt like everything stuck better with the five block setup here, but it does make credits stack up quicker."

"I'm glad to hear that," Shikaku said with a smile. "Shikamaru's in his room. If you have time after you see him, come see us in the barn. Yoshino's out there with a new fawn. That woman never changes; hard headed and outspoken but a complete softie when a baby's around."

"If there's a fawn I have to go see it," Ren told him with a laugh.

Shikaku nodded and was on his way; Ren turned her attention back to the deer she was petting. "I hope Shikamaru isn't upset to see me," she whispered, "wish me luck." The deer just blinked at her so she smiled and gave it one last chin scratch before stepping away.

Ren brushed her hands on her black skinny jeans as she walked up the remainder of the path and onto the front porch. The house smelled of burning cedar and homemade stew before she even opened the door. This house had been her second home so she was surprised to see that it had had a makeover. The furniture was still the same but the color scheme had gone from pastels to forest greens and golds. A sad smile made its way into reality; time changed many things.

Ren was silent as she walked across the living room to Shikamaru's bedroom door. Before she would have just barged in; today she hesitated. Her lip was clamped between her teeth so hard that she could barely think at all. If she went in he could be mad or with Tayuya in a situation she didn't want to see; if she knocked he would know it was her and could jump out his window.

With her pride on the line, Ren opened the door to his room and stepped inside. "Shikamaru," she called out to him in confusion. The room was extremely dark, especially for Shikamaru. The window was blocked by a thick curtain and it was hard to see anything at all.

Without giving him the chance to respond to her at all she flipped on the light and was met with a scene that took her breath away. Shikamaru lay with his arm over his eyes snoring away. That part wasn't different but his room was. The earthy tones had been replaced by grayscale… everything.

Her frown set in deeper. "Wake up Shikamaru," she demanded as she pulled his pillow out from under his head. When his eyes met hers she decided that the Shikamaru looking back at her was not the Shikamaru she had left behind. He had his nose, eyebrow, ears, and lips pierced now. Eyeliner residue outlined his dark eyes and when he yawned Ren noticed a tongue ring. The look would have been fine but she knew Shikamaru had always been against having more than his ears pierced; it was hard to breathe.

"What the hell," he groaned out as he sat up in bed. "Ren?"

"You've been avoiding me," she murmured weakly. "What'd you do to your face?"

"You're asking me that," he grumbled.

"Yes, I am. You always told me you would never have another needle shoved into you that wasn't for medical purposes after you pierced your ears," she told him softly. She wouldn't allow herself a moment to think about the judging look he had given her.

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind," he stated.

Ren's brows furrowed and she sat on his bed with his pillow hugged to her chest; the room even smelled different. "I see," she murmured. "Why have you been avoiding me?" She didn't like this dragon's blood scent that was flooding her nostrils; it was so false compared to the earthy scent the room and Shikamaru had naturally.

"Because I don't have time for the past," he told her with a heavy sigh. "I'm too exhausted to keep up with you all the time."

Ren gently handed him back his pillow and stood up. "You're becoming a real jerk, Shikamaru." Her words were soft as she smiled at him. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing happened to me," he growled out as he snatched the pillow from her and tossed it back on the bed.

"Really because you aren't the Shikamaru I left here," she stated flatly.

"Exactly! People change, Ren. You've been gone!"

Ren took a step back and looked away with her hand pressed against her heart. "I know that," she hissed. "I have tried to talk to you countless times!"

"Yeah, well, I've been busy and don't feel like typing."

"I've called! All you had to do was pick up your phone! Instead, you ignore me because you got a new girlfriend? You change everything about yourself for a girl? What the hell happened to you?!"

"YOU happened to me," he growled.

Ren's bottom lip trembled as she stared down at him on the bed. He seemed so unbothered by everything like his only problem was that this was tiring. With her fists clenched Ren stared directly into his eyes. "I didn't want to leave. I had no choice. I did everything I could to keep in contact with you."

"I can't love a computer screen, alright? I can't do it. You moved, I moved on. We grew apart. Get over it."

"Grew apart?! Get over it?! You get over it! You're supposed to be my best friend! Some friend," she hissed as she threw her hands in the air. "I hope Tayuya is worth losing all of your friends because that's exactly what's happening. I talked to Ino and Choji. You're 'growing apart' from everyone. She's isolating you and you're letting her. You don't want to be my friend, fine, but don't you dare treat Choji and Ino the same way. They've been your friends even longer than I have so it'd really suck to be completely broken then realize you lost them as well as yourself."

Ren was so angry that she left his room and slammed his bedroom door; it hadn't been necessary. The entire time she hadn't shed one tear but the moment she was outside she couldn't hold them back any longer. With her head down and her breathing as steady as she could manage she walked across the field and to the barn. "Yoshino-san," she spoke flatly into the barn without entering, "G-gomenasai, I'm not feeling well. I'll try to come see you before I leave."

"Don't let him get to you, Ren-chan," Shikaku sighed from somewhere in the barn.

"He's just going through a phase, I hope," Yoshino murmured. "I'm glad to have seen you, at least. You know you're welcome here anytime."

"Arigato," she muttered.

"No need. We mean it," Shikaku told her with a chuckle, "You're family."

"I'll come see you before I leave," she promised. It wasn't until she got back to Neji's car that she wished he had driven her. Wiping her eyes on her sleeve she got into the car and started it. Part of her had hoped Shikamaru would have chased after her. She had to swallow to keep from sobbing; he didn't care about her at all anymore. Love was definitely cruel.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"I can't convince myself to get out of the car," Ren murmured into her phone with her head pressed against the steering wheel. She had made it back to Hizashi's house without any problems but the moment she put the car in park everything she had been holding back boiled over.

" _Then don't get out yet,"_ TenTen told her from the other end of the call.

Ren wasn't sure why she had decided to call TenTen other than the fact she missed her sister. "I'm sorry to bother you," she murmured, "I just miss you a lot. I should've brought you with me."

TenTen sighed. " _You know I would've gone if I could have. I couldn't get enough days off work. Maybe the week before school starts we can go together? I know you said your cousins are coming again but maybe another trip there would do you some good. I'd definitely like to give Shikamaru a piece of my mind! I can't believe he's being like that! You guys look so happy in your picture. How can a person change that much?"_

"I honestly don't know what's going on. I promised I'd visit his parents again. I may bring Neji with me and make sure it's when he's not home. There's something I'm missing. Either way, it really hurts." A staggered sob escaped Ren's lips and she frowned. "I feel like I've spent most of this trip in tears."

" _Okay. Other than Shikamaru, what happened?"_

"Karasu broke up with me," Ren murmured; she hadn't told TenTen his real name but she knew everything about their relationship.

" _What?! Why?!"_

"Because he would be taking me down with him," Ren grumbled. "It's so stupid! Why does everyone else think they can decide what's best for me?"

" _Because guys are idiots? Speaking of idiots; Sasuke's been extremely agitated and anti-social since his brother, Itachi, came by a few days ago. I didn't hear the entire thing but Sasuke was really angry. It was awful; Itachi just… sat there and took it. I know you've got a lot going on but when you get back we really need you to talk to Sasuke. I doubt you'll have more luck than mom, dad, and I have had but we're getting kind of desperate. It's like he doesn't know who he is any more or something."_

A mirthless smile formed on Ren's lips. Itachi had predicted this to a T. It took everything she had not to sob again. With a quick clear of her throat, she told TenTen, "I doubt he'll want anything to do with me. He's not been nice to me, either."

" _I know, I know,"_ TenTen sighed, " _But you're too nice to leave him like this; plus you have a way of getting his attention. Itachi's sick, I guess. Dying if the guy with him was being serious. Sasuke's going to have to fix things with him or he's going to regret it forever, Ren."_

"He's dying," she gasped out.

" _That's what the guy said."_

Abruptly Ren opened the door to Neji's car and vomited into the grass; she could hear TenTen calling to her from her phone that now lay in the passenger seat but Ren couldn't respond as another wave hit her. Neji was going to kill her if she got puke in his car; she was so shocked by the revelation that her body reacted in the only way it could come up with.

"I-I'm fine," Ren muttered as she leaned wiped her face on the sleeve of her shirt; it was gross but she felt too lousy to care. "I think Shika's room gave me a migraine. My head is pounding. Sorry for puking on you like that. I'll talk to Sasuke when I get home in a few days."

" _You aren't getting sick on me, are you? You're just now back to eating like a human,"_ TenTen laughed out but it didn't hide the worry in her voice.

"I'm fine, just a migraine. I haven't had one in years. Last time I had one that made me puke was Neji's 11th birthday party," her words trailed off as she saw him coming around to the driver's side with a hose. "Speaking of which. He's here. I'll text you. Try not to kill anyone."

" _Right back at you,"_ TenTen laughed out, " _I love and miss you, Ren."_

"I love and miss you too, Ten. Ja ne."

" _Bye!"_

Ren had barely ended the call when Neji sprayed the window at her head. She jumped and quickly gathered her things to get out. On the plus side, he had washed the puke away so she could actually get out on this side of the car.

When he opened the door he held his hand out to her but scrunched his nose. "What did you shower in?"

"Huh?"

"You smell awful. I can't even decide what it is. It's overpowering the sick smell you've got going," he stated as he closed the door and took his keys from her. The car beeped as he locked it; Ren felt like her brain pulsated at the noise.

"Shikamaru's room," she groaned, "It was awful."

"Shower, now," Neji demanded as he motioned towards the house, "A migraine?"

"Y-yes," Ren nodded weakly as she followed behind him. "I think it was all the stress. TenTen told me Itachi talked to Sasuke. Apparently, someone told her that Itachi is dying. It was just, the last straw for today."

"A bubble bath then, maybe," Neji suggested.

"Do you have lavender and chamomile bubble bath," she asked skeptically as he led her through the house.

"Do I have-" Neji shook his head, "Yes I have that. Hinata made sure I bought some a week ago."

"Do you think she had a feeling I'd need it," Ren murmured.

"No doubt," Neji agreed, "it's creepy sometimes but she follows her gut and it works out."

Ren nodded; it was like Hinata could see the future but the reality was she just made educated guesses. A weak smile formed on her lips. "Do you have candles? The lights are kind of bright."

"Yes," he groaned, "Do you need me to hold your hair and wash your back for you too?"

"Well, if you wouldn't mind," Ren teased with a small laugh. "Thank you, Neji."

"Don't mention it," he deadpanned, "Seriously. Everyone would have a field day with this."

"I know," she nodded in agreement. "When will Hizashi-ojisan be home?"

"It'll be late again."

"Life here isn't much different than Nagisa," Ren told him with a soft sigh as she put her stuff in the guest room and began rummaging for clothes; he was leaning against the doorway with his brows furrowed. "Hyuga or Sabaku… Either way, people don't have time for their kids. I want to be able to have time for mine when I have them, Neji."

"We'll make it happen," he promised.

Ren smiled weakly up at him as she stood in front of him. Maybe it was her migraine clouding her thoughts or the heartache she felt but when she looked up at Neji she saw something completely new. "Marrying you wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," she whispered out loud without meaning to.

"You don't mean that," he told her with a shrug. "I'll go grab a lighter. Candles and bubble bath are under the sink."

Her eyes widened when she realized she had voiced her thoughts aloud; he made a hasty retreat after. Ren bit her lip and stalked into the guest bathroom weakly. Maybe she had been wrong about being able to go against fate. Maybe she and Neji were destined to take their parents places… maybe all the time's people teased them about marriage they were sealing their fate.

A lump formed in Ren's throat and she texted TenTen to let her know she was okay, getting ready for a bubble bath. She didn't know how much more she could withstand. The water filled the tub and Ren waited patiently for Neji to come back. "Thanks," she told him when he lit the candles for her and turned out the light.

"I'll knock in about half an hour. Try not to fall asleep in there. I don't want you drowning on me."

Ren nodded and pressed her hands between her thighs as she sat on the edge of the tub. "We have too much to change for me to die on you anytime soon," she told him with a weak smile. "I'll be okay, Neji. Someday none of this will matter."

"I hope you're right," he replied with a nod, "I'll be back in half an hour."

"Okay," she whispered as he closed the door behind him. Ren wished she had bothered to get to know him before. It would've made things much smoother now. She felt awkward with how nice he was to her and with the fact that she could tease him and he'd throw it back. This was the type of relationship they should have had all along but it took her moving for it to form. A sad smile formed; TenTen was probably the reason Ren was playful and more outgoing now. Ren felt like the sadder she became, the more jokes she made; TenTen did that too.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I'm actually struggling to get these chapters how I want them. I feel like more should have been said between Shika and Ren but every time I tried it felt forced. The truth is, this was more than I said to my own Shikamaru. I wish I could go back in time and tell him many things but, I guess even in this story I can't do that. Thanks for sticking with me.


	41. Returning Home

**Ren Note:** This chapter actually took me more time than I thought it would. It's also longer than I expected it to be. I hope you guys enjoy it.

* * *

The sun was shining so brightly that Ren had to cover her eyes the moment she stepped out of Nagisa International Airport. TenTen handed her a pair of large sunglasses that she accepted gratefully. Her trip to Konoha had come to a close; the last few days were spent with Yoshino, Shikaku, Tokuma, and Neji. It hadn't pained her as much to get on the plane this time around; if she were honest with herself she was thankful to be coming back. The trip had made her realize that she no longer felt at home in Hi No Kuni.

"Feeling the jet lag yet," TenTen asked her with a grin the moment they were in her beetle.

"Not even close," Ren responded with a smile of her own. She relaxed against the familiar seat and sighed happily. "I'm so glad to be back."

"You keep saying that," TenTen chuckled. "I guess you had a decent trip then?"

"I saw everyone I wanted to see," Ren responded with a nod. "I hate that things went so badly with Shika. His mom said he started dating Tayuya a few weeks after I left; the rumors worked in his favor where they didn't mine. He hates the attention though. Tayuya's always been with the 'outcasts' so it makes sense he'd go out with an undesirable to return to the background. I never liked her."

"Are you saying that because of who she is as a person or because she's dating Shikamaru," TenTen asked with a brow raised. Her attention was on the road but she still made her thoughts apparent with a furrowed brow; she was doubting the validity of Ren's dislike.

"Both," Ren deadpanned. "I know it's awful of me but it's true. She's always been a troublemaker. The only 'normal' thing about her is that she plays flute in the band. She goes out of her way to be annoying and disruptive. I had her in one of my freshmen classes. It's the only class I've ever had to take summer school for; the whole class did because the teacher couldn't teach but didn't want to send her out of class because he thought he could help her."

"Sounds like maybe she just needs a good influence in her life," TenTen hummed.

"She taints every good influence," Ren stated with a scowl. "The teacher was fired after she accused him of inappropriate behavior; she tried to say he molested her. If Shika doesn't get out soon, he's a goner."

"Wow. That does sound really bad. Are you sure she wasn't telling the truth? Let's look at a positive from your trip; now you have enough witnesses to you not being pregnant to kill the rumors in Konoha too, right," TenTen pointed out.

"I'm not sure one way or another. Hiashi-ojisama's money for my trip definitely didn't go to waste though.," Ren murmured with her lip clamped between her teeth, "Tokuma had me act as his 'date' at a press conference he was attending. Everyone knows it was a lie now. I, supposedly, can even expect a formal apology from a few of the magazines. Hiashi-ojisama is ruthless about it; he's still trying to find a way to sue them for slander but 'freedom of the press' is making it impossible I think. I, thankfully, only had to see him when I was visiting Hinata and Hanabi for a few minutes. He has a way of making me feel two inches tall. I did learn some interesting things, though."

"Oh? What'd you uncover, Detective Hyuga," TenTen questioned with a laugh.

"Tokuma has the hots for a caterer in the hotel the press conference was held at," Ren blurted out before she could even think about TenTen's detective comment. It wouldn't be a good idea to dwell on it; missing Itachi would do her no favors.

"Shut up," TenTen blurted out.

"No lie," Ren exclaimed as she slapped her knee; she would let her excitement overwhelm the pain in her heart; she had accidentally thought of Itachi. "He's such a coward. He didn't say anything to her. I asked around about her and had a lovely conversation with her. She's a sweetheart and actually manages the catering company. I don't think she knows Tokuma even exists."

"Must be a Hyuga thing," TenTen murmured under her breath. "What else? I know there's more."

"So much more," Ren sighed, "Supposedly every floor under Hizashi-ojisama is happy Okaasan is gone. One of my _very_ distant cousins said that anyway. She made it sound like Mom's death wasn't an accident. Hizashi-ojisama says he'll look into it and I asked Karasu to too. I'm sure she just wanted to get under my skin but now I'm questioning it. She's also no longer Hizashi-ojisama's secretary; he fired her as soon as he heard what she'd said."

"Wow," TenTen breathed out.

"Yeah. It's being looked into. So that's a thing," Ren frowned, "Oh! And Shino nonchalantly told me he was going to ask me to be his date to a banquet when I left. I never expected that from him but he didn't seem too bothered. Oh, and Neji and I actually had a lot of fun."

TenTen blinked at the revelation. "I'm glad to hear that. How can you have fun with Neji though? He's so," her words drifted off as she shook her head, "serious? Cold?"

Ren laughed nervously and looked away. "I've discovered that he partakes in sarcasm and playful torture. Hyuga Neji isn't immune to being human and he can be really caring and sweet when he actually lets his guard down."

"Whaaaaaaaat?!"

"Yes! I have had mock fights with him, had my foot messed with at dinner, and teased him. Neji was also really good to me when I was upset. He's hilarious when he actually wants to be; he uses sarcasm as a form of humor. You should've heard some of the comments he made to Lee once we'd left the restaurant! It would've been mean if he hadn't been funny," Ren chuckled to herself as she thought about her experience with Neji. Suddenly her cheeks flushed red; she wouldn't mention the roughhousing incident; that would stay between them.

"Sounds like you really did have a good time overall," TenTen hummed. "I think you need to focus on the good."

"I know," Ren deflated, "I'm trying, really I am. It's just hard because I feel like all this negativity is hanging onto me, pulling me down."

"Well, just do what you can and forget the rest," TenTen told her with a nod.

"I'm trying," Ren murmured, "I think I want to talk to Karasu face to face. How's Sasuke?"

"He's… no different than the last time you asked me that. We've tried everything we can think of. He's thrown pillows and trophies at me, cussed out mom, and won't leave his room," TenTen told her with a sigh.

"What? Seriously," Ren asked with her brows furrowed. "I'll try for you but don't expect any miracles."

"I'm not holding my breath, I promise that much," TenTen grumbled. "I'm so over his attitude! We're only trying to help, y'know? Naruto's tried reaching out to him but, like always, Sasuke's pulled back from him too. I swear the only way Naruto would get through to him is by knocking him out!"

"Even Naruto can't get through to him? He's definitely not going to listen to me," Ren muttered. "I don't even know what I'll say."

"Just," TenTen shook her head, "Whatever feels right? I've been trying to figure out what the hell to say to him too. Mom's taken time off work to keep an eye on him. Dad's been in contact with Itachi trying to understand the situation but so far has come up empty in the ideas department. Even my biological dad hasn't had any luck. His way of handling things is by demanding they go his way. It's not gone well."

Ren was silent as she pondered TenTen's words; honestly, she could picture Zabuza-sensei demanding Sasuke get his act together and how well that went. Why was this falling on her? When she glanced at TenTen, she realized that she was the only person who hadn't tried yet. With a groan Ren raked her fingers against her scalp; she was starting to get another migraine. "I'll try my best," Ren murmured.

"Good," TenTen told her with a small smile; they were pulling into the driveway now. "We're all going to keep trying."

"That's probably what he needs," Ren responded weakly. When TenTen was parked Ren opened her door and sighed. "Here goes nothing, ne?"

"Yeah."

The moment they entered the house Ren was bombarded by Konohamaru and Suigetsu; both hugged her tightly. "Hey guys," Ren laughed when they released her, "It's only been a week."

"We've missed you a whole bunch," Konohamaru exclaimed.

"What he said," Suigetsu said with a shrug.

"Welcome home," Jia told her as she hugged her too. "We've missed having you here! And guess what! Your room is built. They got it finished yesterday. Now, all we have to do is paint, pick out flooring, and furnish it!"

"That's awesome," Ren exclaimed as she hugged Jia back; her excitement overruled the awkwardness. "You guys didn't tell me they were going to get back to working on it."

"We wanted it to be a surprise," TenTen explained with a shrug.

"Thank you," Ren breathed out with a smile. She hadn't minded sharing a room with TenTen but having her own would be amazing. There had been so many hang-ups; they had been through three companies before this one so she hadn't been optimistic with the room ever being finished.

"We'll go to the home improvement store and get all of that squared away tomorrow morning," Jia told her with a brilliant smile.

"I really appreciate you guys," Ren confessed. With a soft sigh, she added, "I'll go try to talk to Sasuke after I put my bag up."

Jia nodded. "I really hope you have more luck than we've had. TenTen told me she was keeping you up to date. I don't know what else we can do."

As Ren stared into Jia's amber eyes, her heart broke for her step-mother. Jia was a mom at the end of her rope, watching her child suffer while being unable to pull him from his own mind. Her turmoil was so visible in her eyes that Ren had a difficult time breathing. "If I can't get through to him, I'll get Itachi to try," Ren told her with a nod; she wasn't confident but at least she had sounded it.

"Thank you," Jia told her with a hopeful smile. It nearly ripped Ren's heart from her chest; all she could do was nod. "Come on boys, you've got chores to do now. You can catch up with Ren later."

Both boys groaned at the statement but Ren and TenTen didn't stick around to hear Jia lecture them. "How do you plan to convince Itachi to do anything," TenTen asked as the two of them walked to her room.

"Because Karasu is Itachi," Ren whispered quickly; she might as well let the cat out of the bag now.

"What," TenTen screeched.

"Shhh," Ren begged. She was expecting someone to come storming into the room at TenTen's outburst. When no one appeared in the doorway, Ren's shoulders relaxed with relief. "Itachi and Karasu are one in the same."

"So you've been… dating Itachi?"

"Y-yes."

"And you've had sex with Itachi."

It hadn't been a question but Ren nodded anyway. "Y-yes."

"And now Itachi is the bane of Sasuke's existence."

"Yes. I do not expect to have any luck with Sasuke," Ren told her with a grimace.

"We belong on Jerry Springer," TenTen laughed out.

"I know," Ren groaned as she covered her face; at some point, she had started blushing and her cold hands brought her flaming cheeks some comfort.

"Hey wait so," TenTen's brows suddenly furrowed, "If Itachi is Karasu, and Karasu broke up with you, that means that you are no longer dating Itachi. It also means that Karasu, Itachi, or whoever is supposedly dying. Where does that leave you?"

"Heartbroken," Ren responded flatly without looking at TenTen as she pulled clean clothes out of her bag. All of her focus had to remain on the task of putting her effects away or she might crumble apart; Ren couldn't do that right now.

"Yeah," TenTen stated breathlessly. "Okay, so yeah, you've got to talk to Itachi."

"I know," Ren murmured as she smoothed the fabric of her black dress skirt before putting it away. "Sasuke first," she told her with a bitter smile. "Itachi would want me to deal with Sasuke first."

"Are you going to tell Sasuke," TenTen asked quietly.

"I don't know," Ren shrugged, "I don't plan to, but I'm supposed to say what feels right, right? If that's what feels right I will."

"I don't know if that would help or hurt," TenTen frowned.

"I'm not good at comforting people," Ren admitted, "I doubt I'll do this right no matter what I do."

"It'll be okay," TenTen said as she offered a comforting smile.

"Here I go then," Ren groaned as she put her suitcase in her closet.

"Good luck," TenTen cheered.

"Thanks," she grumbled under her breath as she stepped out of the room. How was she supposed to approach this situation? Ren had noticed when they walked by that Sasuke's door was closed. As she stood in front of it she pondered knocking; with a quick shake of her head and her eyes clenched shut she opened the door and slipped into the room. "Sasuke, I'm home," she murmured as she slowly opened one eye; he hadn't moved so she assumed he was decent.

"Go away," he told her flatly; the coldness in his voice would have frozen her heart if she didn't feel so much hostility towards him.

Sasuke was the reason Itachi had come into her life and broke her heart. With a sneer, she told him, "I will not. Everyone is worried about you. If you want to throw things at me like you have TenTen, go ahead. If you wish to insult me like you have your mother, bring it. I will not fold to you. I do not share their respect for your wishes."

A growl escaped Sasuke's lips as he picked up a trinket from his nightstand and threw it at her. "Go to hell!"

Ren raised her hand and caught the trinket without even looking at it. "You're going to have to try harder than that."

Sasuke's ebony eyes were on her; she could imagine them turning red with the amount of hatred he held in them. "It's my room, get out."

"I refuse," she stated flatly. "You shouldn't throw precious things."All desire to choose her words carefully left the moment he had thrown it at her.

"What the hell do you know?"

"Enough," Ren murmured with a shrug. "It's a nice locket. I imagine it has a very precious picture in it. Itachi didn't give this to you for you to throw it around and break it."

Sasuke was seated on his bed staring at her wide-eyed. "What did you say?"

Her shoulders slumped and she looked away from her step-brother. "He kept this for you all these years and you just throw it around like it's nothing," her bitterness was seeping into her voice, "You have been his entire driving force for his whole life! He became a detective so he could find you. He put off seeing you for months because you had school and soccer; he didn't want you to miss out on those things. Every moment of his life has been for you!"

"How would you know?!"

"Because I've seen it," she growled at him and clenched the locket harder against her palm. Her focus was so intent on him that she felt like she could almost see his inner workings. "I've seen him doubt himself over and over because of you. I've seen the worry in his eyes every time he asks about you! I've seen what the years of this have done to him. He feels like he doesn't deserve anything but your hatred; congratulations, Sasuke, you're doing exactly what he knew you would."

Sasuke was silent as she spoke but his eyes remained locked on her. His jaw was clenched and his fingers gripped his bed tightly; he was listening to every word.

Ren placed the locket gently on the shelf closest to her; her fingers lingered on it and she felt a sad smile tugging at her lips. "You don't know anything about him," she murmured. "All you have are stories and rumors. Your perspective of this is clearly different than my own. It's no longer just Itachi your hatred hurts. It's your mother, your sister, your brothers, both your fathers, and it's me. He broke up with me because of you."

She watched his eyes widen; loosely she wrapped her arms around herself before continuing, "I'm supposed to come in here and say things that will make it all better but the truth is that I don't care whether you're fine or not. I care that Itachi isn't fine. I'm here because our siblings and parents are not fine. I'm here because Itachi begged me to be your guiding light through the darkness. He doesn't want your hatred to consume you. I'm here because you are the most important thing to him and I gave him my word. I promised him that I would try. Truth is I don't think I like you enough to figure out what to say to you. I have lost the kindest, most caring man I have ever had the pleasure of calling mine because you blame a thirteen-year-old Itachi for things out of his control."

"I don't," Sasuke growled. "I blame the Senju Corporation for everything! Itachi's just not needed in my life."

"Not needed? What good does any of that do?! Is it better to ignore his existence because he's a reminder of things that can't be changed?! Does it help to have someone else to blame since you can't blame Itachi? Sometimes there isn't anyone at fault! Sometimes there isn't a person you can blame for losing people you love! It was a freak accident! Itachi's so set that it's his fault that he doesn't see it logically. Are you going to act the same?! Are you going to search for evidence that's not there or condemn a company that was never linked to it?! Are you going to turn your back on your own brother because of this?! Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die," she choked out as she fought back tears.

"Since you know everything, what would you do in my shoes," he bellowed.

A sad smile formed on her lips as she shook her head. "Sasuke I just got back from a trip to where I grew up to see my living family members. I spent time with my cousins and got to know them. Instead of asking what I would do, look at what I did do. You aren't the only one who has suffered tragedy. My advice would be to get to know your brother. I hear he's dying and you don't want to regret not getting to know him. He's an amazing person who loves his little brother. I'm leaving now but it has nothing to do with you wanting me to. I have a migraine and feel like I'm going to puke if I don't lay down."

"Do you know where he lives? All I got was a phone number," Sasuke stated flatly.

Ren nodded but her back was already to him. "I've been there," she replied, "If I take you, you aren't going to try to kill him are you? I'd probably kill you if you did."

"Like you even could," Sasuke grumbled.

"I'd die to protect him. What do you plan to do," Ren asked slowly over her shoulder.

"I don't know yet. Talk, I guess," he told her.

"Tomorrow after I get home from shopping with Jia," Ren informed him, "I'll drive. You need to eat and shower."

Ren didn't know why she even wanted to drive but she had said it anyway; her retreat was hasty. The walk back to TenTen's room felt longer than it was. Ren stared at the door next to it; her room. She changed courses and opened the door to look inside. The walls were white, the floor was just panels of high-grade plywood, the closet and bathroom had no doors, and the windows let in an almost blinding amount of light.

Cautiously she approached the window that faced the backyard and a small smile formed on her lips; the room had made it smaller but Konohamaru was outside playing with Gamatatsu like he didn't care. Not only did Ren have her own bathroom but she would also be able to keep an eye on her brother from the comfort of her own bedroom.

So many things had changed about her since she moved, including where she felt at home. It was almost bittersweet. As she looked out into the backyard her vision became unfocused; would her mother be happy or upset with that? She hoped she would be comforted knowing that Ren was doing alright without her but Ren would never want to be without her mother.

"Sasuke actually came out of his room and made a sandwich," Jia told her gently as she came into the room. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," Ren told her with a shrug. "We're going to see Itachi our shopping trip tomorrow morning."

"You love him don't you," Jia asked with a knowing smile. Ren blanched and blushed as she stared at her. "A mother can tell, even if she didn't give birth to the child and hasn't known her for very long."

Ren looked away to hide her embarrassment. "I do," she admitted. "Itachi is a good man."

"I could tell that much when I met him," Jia told her with a soft smile. "I just don't want to see you hurt anymore than you already are."

They both knew Jia was referring to the rumor about Itachi being terminally ill. "I'd suffer heartache just to enjoy the time I have with him. Love is a sacrifice, isn't it? That's what Okaasan always said."

"It can be," Jia hummed. "It can also be the most rewarding thing life has to offer. I wasn't always happy with Zabuza, especially towards the end, but he gave me TenTen and agreed to adopt Suigetsu and Sasuke so readily. Our relationship wasn't meant to be but I still gained so much from it. A mother's love is unconditional and the person he made me is one I'm proud to be. Your father wouldn't have looked my way at all before Zabuza was done with me. Love isn't always how you expect it to be."

"Do you love, Hideki?" Ren didn't know why but she felt like she had to ask; her father, while she may not always like him, didn't deserve to be used.

"More and more every day," Jia told her with a smile, "He is my sanctuary, the anemone to my clownfish. Sorry, I heard that on the show Bones and thought it was so beautiful that I've taken to using it. Dr. Brennan says it far better. Life without him is something I refuse to even imagine."

"I'm glad you two found each other," Ren told her truthfully. "And I'm glad Konohamaru came from it."

"Me too," Jia agreed, "I'm also glad that he loved your mother. I get another daughter because of that. I know that's selfish, but that's how I feel. I wish we could have met. Sometimes I wonder if we could have co-parented together."

"I'm sure she would have liked that," Ren murmured. "It always made her sad when I'd ask about Hideki. I think if he were involved it would've hurt her less."

"I'm sure it would have. I didn't even know you existed until a few years ago. I'd found a letter from your mother and asked him about it. I feel like so much precious time has been lost because of his pride and her determination not to need him involved. I got the impression Naoma was a caring and stubborn woman."

Ren smiled at Jia and shook her head. "You have no idea. We bumped heads a lot but she was who I could rely on for anything. She would always tell me that she had everything under control, even when she most certainly did not. Asking for help was impossible for her. I guess I never imagined what that meant for Hideki."

"He'll realize soon enough that he needs you like I need all of my children. You kids are our legacy, the one thing we can leave behind. Having another daughter to unleash on the world? I feel very lucky for that." Jia was almost in tears as she stared down into Ren's eyes.

"Did you ever think about trying to have another girl when Konohamaru wasn't one," Ren asked gently.

"I had thought about it," Jia laughed, "but truthfully Konohamaru is the perfect last addition. I wouldn't change or add to how our family is now." Jia leaned in closer and told her softly, "Plus your father got snipped. He had his boy to carry on his name, and apparently his girl to give him grey hair, so it's completely out of the question."

Ren blushed bright red. "I-I didn't need to know that," she squeaked.

Jia's laugh rang through the room like soft bells chiming over an empty courtyard; the sound was breathtaking and light even with a migraine pulsating Ren's brain. "I just want you to know that you can come to me for anything. No embarrassment here."

"Thank you," Ren told her quietly. "I think I may need to go to the doctor, actually." She frowned and shook her head. "I've been having migraines, I actually have one right now. They had gotten better with puberty but now they seem to be back. It'd be nice to have a medicine that'd actually get rid of them."

"I'll call and make you an appointment with our family doctor, then," Jia told her with a nod. "I had awful headaches when I was pregnant with Konohamaru; I can't imagine how bad a migraine must feel."

Ren nodded slowly. "Thank you for this room. I think I'm going to go lay down now."

"I'll let you sleep until dinner," Jia told her with a nod.

"Thanks," Ren murmured with a small smile as she left the room; TenTen wasn't in hers when Ren went in. With a shrug, Ren closed the door and changed into a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. She reopened the door before belly-slamming her bed. Soon this wouldn't be her bed; Ren snuggled into it and sighed quietly. Her head was killing her; she wouldn't allow herself time to worry about how Itachi would react to seeing her. With a heavy heart, she prayed that he wasn't really dying until she drifted off to dreamland.


	42. Poking Holes

Jia's Mercedes wasn't as fancy as Hideki's but it was still an amazingly luxurious car. Ren and Jia had finished their trip to a local home improvement store, went to a steakhouse, and went home with a car full of samples and a gameplan. Unfortunately for Ren, Sasuke was waiting for her and rushed to help them unload everything. His impatience was what led her to this moment.

"At least you know what you're doing," Sasuke grumbled as he got off the back of his bike.

"I wasn't lying when I told you I owned one just like this," she replied with a huff. He had wanted to argue over who drove but Ren had stood her ground.

"This house is his," he asked lowly once his helmet was on the handlebar. He was staring at the small suburban house they had parked in front of.

Ren didn't even bother responding; she simply walked up the path that led to Itachi's house. Sasuke wasn't but a few seconds behind her. She was six feet from the door when her feet halted; what was she doing there?

"What is it," Sasuke grumbled after he almost bumped into her.

"Maybe this is something you should do on your own," Ren muttered as she turned her back to Itachi's house so that she could stare up at Sasuke.

"Like hell," he grumbled before grabbing her hand and practically dragging her the rest of the way to the door.

To Ren's horror, he knocked on the solid wooden door right away; he hadn't hesitated. She had wanted to see Itachi, to talk to him, but being here felt like an intrusion. What would she do if he opened the door, saw her, then slammed the door in both of their faces? Her eyes drifted to Sasuke; her sorrows weren't his problem.

The door opened a crack, the chain fastener was in place as a woman with a tanned face and pale pink eyes peered out at the two of them; Ren's heart clenched and she suddenly felt replaced. Ren's hand gripped Sasuke's so hard that he actually looked at her in confusion. "Who are ya with," the woman asked in a heavy Cajun accent.

"Ren Hyogo," Sasuke responded flatly. "Is Itachi home?"

Ren could hardly breathe as she stared down at the ground. There was another woman in Itachi's house. This explained his quick dump of her. Itachi had moved on and was already bedding someone else. The pain nearly knocked her down to her knees.

"He's restin' at the moment," the woman drawled out. "Is it important?"

"We need to talk to him," Ren told her flatly; she had such a tight hold on Sasuke's hand that she was sure he wouldn't be able to pull away even if he wanted to.

"Alright," she grumbled as she closed the door. A few seconds later the door was opening completely and Ren got a better look at the woman. She was plump and curvaceous. The woman had pretty pink hair, wore a tight-fitting black jumper with a pink sash around her waist, and towered over Ren in height. "Wait in the living room, I'll get him."

Ren led Sasuke awkwardly to the living room and refused to let go of him as she sat down on the couch. This had been where her relationship with Itachi became a romantic one; she was sitting in the same place she had been on that day. With a lump in her throat, she scooted a little closer to Sasuke and waited.

"What's up with you," Sasuke questioned as he tried to tug his hand from her's; instead all he ended up doing was putting both their hands on his thigh.

Ren opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when the man she knew as Kisame came into the house. "Hey, Chibi-chan," he called to her with a sly grin. "Nice to see you again, Sasuke-kun." Kisame nodded his head to Sasuke then returned his gaze to Ren.

"Hello, Hoshigaki-san," Ren murmured with a false grin. Sasuke said nothing but pulled his hand free of hers.

"Did Hana let you two in," Kisame asked lowly.

"Hana," Ren asked with her brows furrowed. Was that the woman's name? Ren's mind was back to comparing; the woman was a lot more feminine than Ren. Her body was lanky and awkward where Hana's was full and curvy.

"Hana Mizuko," Sasuke told her, "the woman that answered the door." His ebony eyes turned to Kisame, "Yes, she did."

"Good, that means she's still here," Kisame told them with a nod. "I wasn't sure if you had used your key or not." His eyes were fixated on Ren.

"My key," Ren asked in confusion.

"I didn't give her a key," Itachi stated flatly as he and Hana came into the living room. The lines between his eyes and nose were deeper set and he had dark circles under his eyes; he looked completely exhausted and a feeling of melancholy sunk into Ren.

"You had one made," Kisame countered.

"Doesn't mean I gave it to her," Itachi pointed out.

Ren felt microscopic as the two of them went back and forth like she wasn't even there.

"You were going to," Kisame reminded him with a glare.

"Enough," Sasuke demanded firmly, "I have questions."

Itachi blinked a few times as if he were just now realizing Sasuke were even there. "Hello, Otouto," he finally stated. He was as graceful as ever when he took a seat in one of the armchairs.

Kisame sat in the other with Hana on his lap; Ren suddenly felt foolish for assuming Hana was Itachi's new girlfriend.

"Are you really dying," Sasuke asked bluntly.

Ren's entire body went stiff as soon as the question registered. She had been curious too but that wasn't the route she expected Sasuke to take. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in horror.

"We are all dying, Sasuke-kun. Some just faster than others," Itachi told him with a shrug.

"That's not what I asked," Sasuke growled out.

"Yes," Itachi stated firmly. "I have been given three months, six if I am lucky. I have been ill for quite some time but it has gotten worse. I have a blood disease that prevents me from clotting and makes chemotherapy impossible. I've known about it for quite some time."

"You never told me," Ren blurted out with a frown.

"It isn't your burden," Itachi countered.

Ren stared at him with tears filling her eyes; his words had cut her deeply. "You're right," she murmured, "You decide who you share your life with."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Is it genetic?"

"No, you will be fine Sasuke. Any children you have will be fine," Itachi informed him with a small smile.

The lump building in Ren's throat made her feel like she was suffocating; she kept swallowing over and over but saliva was building in her mouth. "E-excuse me," she whispered as she got up from the couch then rushed off to the bathroom; she refused to puke all over Itachi's floor.

Embarrassment set in when she had finished vomiting and cleaned herself up. Her white eyes were tinted red from the tears that had streamed down her face and her skin was ashenly pale; her reflection in the mirror was ghastly. She didn't know why her body decided that migraines and vomit were the way to deal with stress but she could imagine it had something to do with her blood pressure. With a sigh, she sat on the edge of Itachi's bathtub and pressed her cold fingers against her eyes. How could she face all of them now?

Ren wasn't sure how long she had sat there brooding about how embarrassing it would be but she knew it had been far too long. Cautiously she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway; she could hear them talking so she remained in place.

"Where does any of this leave us," Sasuke asked.

"I had only hoped for you to hear me out," Itachi replied.

"If ya don't stop this back and forth vague crap, I'm gonna hit ya both," Hana growled out. "Make your peace and move forward. The past is done and over. It ain't that hard of a concept!"

Ren's heart clenched; she could imagine the inner war going on inside Itachi at that moment. The idea came to stand beside him and hold his hand through this but his words came back to her. The fact that he thought she would see his illness as a burden crushed her; he hadn't trusted her. All she had wanted to do was be with him. A frown formed on her lips; suddenly his 'one day at a time' message made sense. What if she had unintentionally given him the impression that she wouldn't stick around without a promising future? She bit her bottom lip as she wondered what was going through his head.

"C'mon, chibi-nezumi," Kisame chuckled when he appeared in the hallway and saw her. "You've been standing here long enough. Join the conversation, assuming you aren't going to throw up everywhere."

"I think I'm okay now," she murmured as her cheeks tinted pink. With her eyes down she walked around Kisame and returned to her seat next to Sasuke. "Gomenasai."

"It's alright," Itachi told her with a forced smile, "It could not be helped."

"I'll call you if I have any more questions," Sasuke told Itachi with a nod.

"I have no doubts that you will. I hope I was able to explain things clearly to you now that you are actually listening to what I've said." Itachi had tilted his head to the side; the emotion in his eyes was overwhelming as he stared at Sasuke. "Hana," he called out as he turned his attention to the tanned woman standing between the kitchen and living room, "I believe you have some information to share with Ren now. She is here so now or never."

"I ain't saying a damn thing," Hana huffed as she crossed her arms over her voluptuous chest.

A sigh escaped Itachi's lips and his eyes darted to Kisame. "And you?"

Ren's brows furrowed as she stared at everyone in the room. She had no idea what was going on but it felt like it would be something awful. Her fingernails were digging into her palm from how tightly she had her fists clenched.

"Fine," Kisame grunted, "But not in front of him," his eyes landed on Sasuke, "this is too personal."

"I ain't shy," Hana countered.

"I see value in Sasuke hearing what you need to say. He does live with her and would be a sensible ally," Itachi stated.

Ren wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole; it was too much attention with too much confusion and it led her to feel like she was too close to the edge of a cliff.

"Whatever you say," Kisame sighed as he squatted down to be at Ren's level. The man was tall, taller than Itachi and Sasuke, so he was a giant compared to Ren; the fact he had gotten on her level was unnerving. "My fiance over there is pregnant. We had used condoms every time. Someone," his eyes drifted to the pink-haired woman who wasn't looking at them, "Has been poking holes."

"Congratulations? What does that have to do with me," Ren asked with her brows furrowed and her cheeks red.

"Because I gave some of them to Itachi about a month ago," Kisame told her with a grimace.

"I don't follow," she murmured; she couldn't look at any of them. Suddenly a light clicked on and her widened eyes were on Itachi. "And you used those with me." It wasn't a question but Itachi nodded regardless. "And Mizuko-san is pregnant because of the condoms having holes." Kisame and Hana both nodded at her. "Sasuke," she called to him as she stood up, "I'm ready to go home now."

"Sit," Hana barked out; Ren unintentionally complied.

"So you think you might have got my sixteen-year-old step-sister pregnant," Sasuke asked with his face blank. "This is too rich. How careless can you be?"

"I'm not," Ren deadpanned.

"Then this conversation is pointless," Itachi said with a nod.

"Agreed," she muttered.

"Chibi-chan," Hana called to her, "Take a walk with me. The guys can hash this one out without us."

Ren's entire face reflected her worry as she got to her feet again. Somewhere along the line, she had adjusted to being called cute/small and mouse by Kisame; it wasn't a stretch that the woman he was with would take to the nicknames as well. Ren's eyes met Sasuke's and he gave her a nod; she actually found it slightly comforting.

As soon as Ren and Hana were out of the house the older woman began walking and talking. "I didn't plan on involvin' ya," she grumbled. "I didn't know Kisame was gonna be supplying Itachi. Kisame's thing was always 'If it happens, it happens' but we've been together for ten years and it'd only happened once. We lost that one. Desperation, y'know?"

Ren stared anywhere but at Hana as she walked beside her. She had to take twice as many steps as Hana; Ren stood by her assumption that everyone in Nagisa was fed miracle grow. "I can't put myself in your shoes," Ren admitted, "But I won't fault you for wanting a family. No harm was done."

"Are ya sure about that, " Hana asked with a brow raised. "Ya just lost your cookies."

All the pride and confidence Ren had managed to conjure up evaporated instantly. "N-no," she confessed. "I haven't got my period yet."

"You're just a kid," Hana sighed. "If ya are, I'll help as best I can. Kisame will too."

"I'm not ready for a baby. There's a family out there that would be happy to have one," Ren murmured.

"You'd give it away even if it was the only child Itachi left to the world?"

Ren bit her lip and her step faltered. "It would be selfish not to."

"Either option is selfish, isn't it?"

Suddenly Ren wasn't sure where she stood on anything; it was like she had placed her feet on the ground then the ground changed. "I'm not pregnant."

"Then I guess there's nothing to worry about," Hana told her with a wry smile. "No need to come up with a plan for just in case."

Ren felt like she was a rabbit lured into a trap. No matter how she went about this conversation Hana would counter it and raise another point. "No there isn't," Ren stated.

The two of them walked around the block in silence. When they got back to Itachi's house Sasuke, Itachi, and Kisame were standing outside next to Sasuke's motorcycle. "You need a safer vehicle," Itachi stated to Sasuke.

"It's fine. I know what I'm doing," Sasuke complained.

"But other drivers are morons," Itachi countered.

"Let the boy have his fun," Kisame interrupted. "Honestly, you had your own phases. Let him have his."

"If he ain't crashed yet," Hana said as she jumped into the conversation, "At least ya know he can handle the bike."

"Actually Ren drove today," Sasuke told them with a shrug. "We're both perfectly capable on a motorcycle."

"You are not to go anywhere near that thing," Itachi stated firmly as he stared at Ren.

A faint blush formed on her cheeks; his gaze was intense. She looked away for a moment then put her hands on her hips. "I can make that decision for myself." The second she saw the pain in Itachi's eyes she regretted those words. "I'll think about it, " she sighed.

"I'll drive you home," Itachi offered, "Both of you."

"We need to be getting home and I'm not leaving my bike here," Sasuke told them as he pulled his helmet on and got on the bike. "C'mon, Ren."

"We'll be fine," she murmured. Sasuke had held her helmet out to her and she took it without hesitation. "I was driving," she argued.

"You drove here. I'm not riding bitch on my own bike ever again," Sasuke deadpanned.

Ren pouted but pulled the helmet on anyway. "See you later," she said with a wave as she climbed behind Sasuke and placed her hands on her thighs.

"I'll text you," Itachi informed her with a nod and wave.

Sasuke nodded his head to the three people standing in the driveway and started his bike. The moment it was ready to go he was pulling off the drive and out onto the street. Ren threw her arms around his chest; he suddenly sped up. "Sasuke!"

"Hey, gotta keep his heart active somehow," he told her with a laugh.

"You're awful!" Sasuke just laughed at her.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** The plot thickens... dun dun dunnnnnn. But hey, at least Sasuke's talking to Ita-kun!


	43. A Strange Proposal

Ren's eyes opened slowly and she stared at her room with a smile; it was finished! Her king-size, metal canopy bed was so big that she had been able to stretch out in a way she hadn't been able to ever do before; she could get used to this. With a sigh, Ren pushed her amethyst purple bedding off her body and sat up.

She had gone with a Japanese meets Modern style when she designed the room. The wall Ren's bed was on was cream with red Japanese maple trees; the other three walls were cream with golden swirls. Hi No Kuni inspired abstract paintings and mirrors cluttered the walls. To say that Ren was proud of her room was an understatement; she had sent pictures of it to every friend she had.

As she pressed the bottoms of her feet against the slick maple floorboards her body jolted to life; Nagisa nights were cold and the floor had retained some of it as the sun began to ascend into the sky. Ren hummed as she pulled clothes for the day out of her own closet then entered her own bathroom to take a shower.

It hadn't been long since her visit with Itachi but so much had happened that she felt like an eternity had passed by. Jia had made her a doctor's appointment for that very morning and Sasuke was taking her; afterward, they were supposed to meet Itachi for lunch.

Her heart raced as she thought about him. They weren't back together, in fact, he was keeping quite a bit of distance, but he was including her in his life at least. Ren's heart hurt whenever she thought about what the world would be like without Itachi Uchiha; he was a gift no one on the planet deserved: not her, not Sasuke.

A knock on her open door drew her attention and she turned to see TenTen standing there looking like she had just rolled out of bed. "It's so weird waking up by myself," TenTen told her with a laugh, "How did you sleep?"

"I think it's one of the best nights I've ever had," Ren hold her with a smile as she unwrapped her hair from a towel. "I did wake up in the middle of the night looking for you though."

"Glad it's not just me," TenTen laughed. "It's an adjustment for sure."

"It really is. I love this room though," Ren mused, "I don't think I'd change a single thing about it."

"You mean you wouldn't add an accent rug by the bed? Or some books to your bookcase?"

"Okay, I would do that. Jia and I couldn't find a rug that was soft and fit the room. I'll slowly acquire books and knick-knacks," Ren murmured.

"I'm just giving you a hard time. I didn't think I'd like the gold swirls in here but it fits. You've added more color in here than I thought you would." TenTen was smiling at her as she sat in Ren's mid-back black desk chair; it had fit in perfectly with the clean lines of her furniture but the curve of its arms complimented the swirl pattern of the majority of the walls.

"It's hard to believe isn't it?" Ren laughed as she flopped down on her bed still trying to get water from her long raven hair.

"You haven't made your bed today."

"Not yet," Ren shrugged, "I thought I'd do that after I got ready."

"Are you going to ask the doctor for a pregnancy test?" TenTen had been amazingly silent about Ren's worries until that point. Ren had explained what had happened at Itachi's house without any hesitation.

A lump formed in Ren's throat. "It's only two days late," she murmured, "I'm sure it's fine."

"And if it's not?"

"Then," she exhaled slowly and shook her head, "I don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out. Have you told Dad? Or mom?" TenTen's amber eyes were staring into her soul.

"I talked to Jia. She seemed disappointed in me but didn't give me the lecture I was expecting. I doubt Hideki will be so kind." Ren couldn't look TenTen in the eyes a moment more; instead, she focused on her black shorts. "What would I even do with a baby?"

"Love it? Be a good mom? Or you'll make sure it has a good mom," TenTen told her with a nod. "It's not like you have to decide anything right now; you don't even know if you're pregnant or not."

"TenTen," Ren bit her lip and lowered her head, "I feel pregnant. I don't know how to explain it but…" She hadn't even fully admitted it to herself until that moment. Puking was part of the daily routine now, certain foods were impossible to resist while some of her favorites made her stomach clench in rejection, and she had had a day or two where her breasts hurt so badly that even a bra was painful.

"Okay," TenTen nodded. "Well, have the doctor give you a pregnancy test."

"Do I take Sasuke back with me or do I make him wait in the waiting room?" Both ideas had their pros and cons. If Sasuke was back there she wouldn't be alone but he would have to hear her worries. She didn't know if she could handle being alone.

"I could see if someone will cover my shift this morning and go with you if you want," TenTen offered.

"Please," Ren begged as her eyes returned to TenTen's. "I don't want to go alone." The idea of being alone made her antsy and disgruntled.

"Alright. I'll call around. Can I borrow your shower? Suigetsu, Sasuke, and Konohamaru are in the other three bathrooms.."

"Thank you, TenTen. You're more than welcome to my bathroom," Ren told her with a relieved smile.

"No problem," TenTen smiled brightly, "You're my sister and one of my best friends. What kind of person would I be if I didn't stick with you?"

"You definitely wouldn't be TenTen," Ren laughed in agreement.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren and TenTen returned to the beetle and got in without a word. Sasuke's eyes darted from one girl to the other and he asked, "Well? What'd you find out?"

Ren's shoulders slumped and she shook her head; TenTen was biting her bottom lip without looking at her brother. "I," Ren started then shook her head again, "You're going to be an uncle. No migraine medicine needed."

Sasuke's entire body froze, even his breathing seemed to halt as he stared at Ren like she had grown a second head. "Itachi will live on, then," he stated flatly.

"Sasuke," Ren groaned, "It's not going to be another Itachi, it's just… half Itachi and I don't know if I'm keeping it."

"Keeping it? It's not some fucking stray dog," Sasuke hissed.

"Sasuke," TenTen growled at him, "Enough! You're not the father so you don't have a say in what Ren does or doesn't do! Lay off! She just got the worst lecture I have ever heard Dr. Mata give _anyone_. We've got eight months to figure everything out. She's still got to tell Itachi and Dad. Don't add to this!"

Sasuke's mouth clamped shut and he put his seatbelt on. His phone buzzed in his hand and a few seconds later he told them, "Then let's get Itachi out of the way. He's already waiting for us."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

A crowded restaurant wasn't the place Ren ever wanted to announce a pregnancy at. Her mind kept going back to being sixteen, in high school, unemployed, and her plans for the future. Nowhere in her immediate plans fit a baby. The reason she was doubting everything about her life was seated directly in front of her at this moment and she couldn't even look up at him.

"Are any of you going to tell me what's going on," Itachi asked gently as he sat his menu down.

TenTen jabbed Ren's arm with her elbow and Ren stared at her in horror. How was she supposed to tell him? Was she supposed to just blurt it out before they'd even had their drink order taken? She wanted to slip it in somewhere between dessert and the bill so that she could run out straight away; now she was stuck. "W-well," Ren cleared her throat and stared at his hands. He had his fingers linked together as he stared at her with those ebony eyes that she didn't even have to see to know they were on her. "I went to the doctor today for the migraines I've been getting."

"That's a good thing unless you received bad news," Itachi questioned. Ren could imagine his eyebrows were furrowed and he had tilted his head; his ponytail was now draped over his right shoulder.

"It turns out that they've come back because my hormones are changing," she told him quickly.

"Oh for the love of-"

Sasuke cut TenTen off and announced, "What she's trying to say is she's pregnant."

"Oh," Itachi said flatly.

Silence consumed the table; Ren wished to fade away into darkness. This wasn't how she wanted things to go. Tears threatened to form so she bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood; she would not cry.

"I guess I've left my mark on the world, after all," Itachi mused lowly.

Ren's eyes darted up to his in shock. "Wh-what?"

"I didn't plan on it, but I guess I'll be leaving something for you behind when I die."

"It's not funny," Sasuke growled.

"I never said it was," Itachi stated as he looked at Sasuke. He was smiling.

"C-can we just," Ren nodded to the waiter who was standing at the end of the table with his jaw gaping. "Water with lemon, Coke if you have it, sweet ice tea, and hot green tea. That's our drink order." She had rushed through it so fast that she wasn't sure the man had gotten it all.

The waiter cleared his throat, jotted down the drinks she had said, and told them he would be back with their drinks and to take their order.

"What if I didn't want hot tea," Itachi asked with a brow raised.

"I have never known you to eat a meal without hot tea," Ren responded flatly.

"She knows us all to a T, it seems," TenTen laughed out. "What am I going to order?"

A blush formed on Ren's cheeks but she was going to run with the distraction. "You'll order some type of dumpling, rice, and snow peas."

"Damn," TenTen hissed. "What will Itachi order?"

"Chicken stuffed cabbage wrap with onigiri but he'll only order half a serving so he can eat more dessert," Ren murmured. She didn't know if she liked this game.

"You're two for two," Itachi chuckled. "What about Sasuke?"

"Some sort of katsuobushi based soup or something with tomatoes."

"You're not wrong but you were very vague," Sasuke declared with his eyes narrowed.

"I don't dine with you often enough to pinpoint exactly what you'll get," Ren told him with a shrug.

Itachi laughed but quickly covered his mouth to cough; the humor from the table faded instantly. "I'm fine," he murmured when the three teenagers stared at him in worry. "It happens. I'm running out of time, after all."

He had said it with the gentlest smile but it stabbed straight into Ren's heart; she wanted a magic wand that could heal him both physically and mentally. When she glanced at her siblings, it was obvious they wished he were healable too. Ren forced the lump in her throat down by swallowing.

"Enough of those looks," Itachi scolded, "We're here and we're having a good time. We're going to celebrate my mark on the world today. At least until your father gets home from work; I'd like to talk to him." He was staring directly into Ren's eyes and she wasn't sure what to say. "Don't look so worried."

"O-okay," Ren murmured.

"So," TenTen hummed, "I wonder what sweet treat is your favorite, Itachi."

"Dango," Ren and Itachi said at the same time.

TenTen laughed, "She really does know you well, doesn't she?"

"You have no idea," Itachi whispered.

"Sorry to interrupt, again," their waiter said as he returned with their drinks. Each one was handed out by Ren's instruction and he pulled a pen from his pocket. "Do you know what you'd like to order?"

"We do," Itachi told him with a nod.

They placed their orders and spent the rest of their lunch listening to stories about Sasuke's childhood and how fond everyone had been of him. Itachi probably didn't realize it but he had shared a great deal of information and memories about himself too; Ren felt like she was getting to know him better the more he spoke.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"What am I going to do with you," Hideki asked as he flopped down in his desk chair and pressed his fingers to his lips. "We just went through this."

"I told you, you should have sat," Ren murmured from her seat across from him.

"Hyogo-san," Itachi called to get Hideki's attention. "I take full responsibility for this, however, I will not apologize. I care deeply for your daughter, sir. Neither of us meant for this to happen but it is the reality of the situation."

"What about school? Where's this baby going to live? How are you going to support it?"

Hideki's questions made Ren's heart clench. "I'll finish school and continue on with my plans for college; I'll just have to take fewer classes at a time in university. I have money. Mother left me more than enough money to get an apartment and survive for at least six months; by then hopefully, I'd have a job that paid enough to get by."

"You'd kick her out," Itachi questioned.

"He won't," Jia stated as she came into the home office. "She's his daughter and she has our love and support. Right, Hideki?"

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment; it was like they were having a conversation -argument- without saying a word to each other. Finally, Hideki sighed and nodded. "Of course she does."

"I'd like to marry her," Itachi announced; everyone in the room was staring at him with their eyes wide. "I'm not long for this world but I still wish to go about this the right way. Ren would inherit everything I own upon my death. She wouldn't have to work while trying to go to school and raise our child. Every dollar remaining from the Uchiha Corporation is in my bank account. I've not spent a dime out of guilt. It would be enough to support two Uchihas for a lifetime."

"I don't want your money," Ren stated with her brows furrowed.

"It's not just about the money," Itachi sighed. "It's the only way I can promise you a future. You'd receive my house, car, and every stock I have in the market. I will provide for my child even if I'm not alive to see it."

Jia wrapped her arm around Ren's shoulders gently as she sat on the armrest of Ren's chair; without thinking Ren sunk into the embrace and found comfort in Jia's heartbeat. "She's still just a teenager," Jia murmured.

"I know. If I were sure I was going to live for the next eighteen years I wouldn't be trying to rush this. I'd want her to take her time. I don't have time." Itachi was so serious when he spoke that Ren couldn't doubt his words for a second.

"And she would live with you," Hideki asked while shaking his head.

"Not unless she wanted to," Itachi told them with a forced smile. "She will have to sell my home and buy a new one within the next few years; it's only a one bedroom. If she would prefer and you would allow it, she could remain here with you. I merely want her to have my name and my assets. Sasuke's already got his own inheritance coming when he turns eighteen."

Hideki's eyes were on Ren and Jia as Itachi spoke; the confliction was clearly written all over his face. "What do you wish to do, Ren," he asked lowly.

Ren's mind was racing so quickly that she didn't know which part she should focus on. Her eyes drifted to Itachi; she loved him so much. "I-I'd like to marry him," she whispered with a shy smile. "For love, not your money."

Jia squeezed her shoulder as she hugged her tighter. "You heard her, Hideki."

"At least the child would be legitimate," Hideki murmured as he weighed their options. "Fine, but you are to remain in this house until you have finished college."

"I can live with that," Ren told him with a nod. Itachi nodded in agreement too.

"I wish you were older," Jia stated with a smile, "But we'll be here to help you every step of the way. We have a quick wedding to plan!"

"Don't go overboard, Jia," Hideki warned.

"That's not necessary," Ren squeaked out.

"I thought we would just go down to the courthouse," Itachi pointed out.

"No! I absolutely refuse! No daughter of mine is having a shotgun wedding or a courthouse wedding. She's going to wear a white dress, walk down the aisle on a trail of flowers, and exchange vows in front of God," Jia exclaimed.

"B-but," Ren tried to argue, "I don't need all that."

"It's a marriage by law," Itachi murmured.

"We're doing it," Jia told them with a nod. "We're going to have a lovely wedding. I'm going to go call Pastor Evans and see if the church is available in two weeks. It'll be a rush but I can get it planned. Leave it all to me. Ren, we'll go dress shopping this weekend!"

Jia was on the phone the moment she opened the door to leave. "You've created a monster," Hideki groaned.

"Sorry," Itachi chuckled. "Is this wedding for us or for her?"

"Both," Ren told him with a faint smile.

"She lives to plan social gatherings," Hideki sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Itachi nodded. "Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing."

Ren wasn't so sure that she knew what she was getting herself into. "I don't suppose you'd let me take online classes for the last two grading periods of next school year, would you?"

"We can discuss that later. I need a drink and to reel your mother in," Hideki muttered as he left his office.

"Why would you want to marry me," Ren asked the moment she and Itachi were alone.

"Because you are precious to me. A baby out of wedlock would damage your reputation. I refuse to be your downfall too."

Ren nodded but couldn't look at him. "Obligation, then," she sighed.

"It's more than that. I'll try to explain it to you better another time."

"So," Ren breathed out, "we're really doing this? And I'm really going to be raising a baby by myself? Don't I get a say?"

"You just had your opportunity to object," Itachi pointed out.

"I know," she bit her lip, "I just don't know how I'm going to do it."

"You'll have plenty of help. Hana and Kisame are at the root of this and will assist you in any way they can. Your stepmother seems to be one-hundred percent on your side. TenTen and Sasuke will be with you. I cannot speak for your other two brothers."

"Suigetsu will probably be the crazy uncle that teaches him or her bad things just to get under my skin. Konohamaru will either love or hate it."

"I'm sure, with as fond as he is of you, that he will love his niece or nephew."

"How do I explain this to Hiashi-ojisan?"

"You have no need to. You'll be Uchiha Ren, not Hyuga Ren. He will have no claim over how you live your life."

"I still want to change the Hyuga corp," Ren murmured.

"Why don't you and Neji start your own company? You'd have the funds to do so," Itachi suggested.

"I'll," she paused before trying again, "I'll think about it and run that by Neji later."

"That's all I ask. Sometimes things are broken beyond repair. The best thing to do is leave and never look back. Forge your own path, Ren."

"I'll do my best," she told him with a faint smile.

"I have no doubts that you will." Itachi stood and extended his hand to help her to her feet. "On a scale of one to ten, ten being complete incineration, how likely do you think Hideki would be to combust if I kiss you?"

"Probably an eight," Ren laughed out as she blushed.

"I'll risk it," Itachi murmured as he pressed his lips softly to hers. "I will take care of you, always."

"I love you, Itachi," she whispered.

"I know you do," he smiled, "That's more than I could have hoped for."

* * *

 **Ren Note:** I'd like to point out that this story kind of follows my own life experiences; don't hate me! I'm also toying around with two other stories right now (One is an _All or Nothing_ spin-off and the other is a KisaHana/ItaRen) so my attention is divided even more than usual. I assure you, this story still takes the front seat. Thanks for reading, lovies! I'll catch you guys soon.


	44. Disappointment

Jia's Mercedes wasn't as fancy as Hideki's but it was still an amazingly luxurious car. Ren and Jia had finished their trip to a local home improvement store, went to a steakhouse, and went home with a car full of samples and a gameplan. Unfortunately for Ren, Sasuke was waiting for her and rushed to help them unload everything. His impatience was what led her to this moment.

"At least you know what you're doing," Sasuke grumbled as he got off the back of his bike.

"I wasn't lying when I told you I owned one just like this," she replied with a huff. He had wanted to argue over who drove but Ren had stood her ground.

"This house is his," he asked lowly once his helmet was on the handlebar. He was staring at the small suburban house they had parked in front of.

Ren didn't even bother responding; she simply walked up the path that led to Itachi's house. Sasuke wasn't but a few seconds behind her. She was six feet from the door when her feet halted; what was she doing there?

"What is it," Sasuke grumbled after he almost bumped into her.

"Maybe this is something you should do on your own," Ren muttered as she turned her back to Itachi's house so that she could stare up at Sasuke.

"Like hell," he grumbled before grabbing her hand and practically dragging her the rest of the way to the door.

To Ren's horror, he knocked on the solid wooden door right away; he hadn't hesitated. She had wanted to see Itachi, to talk to him, but being here felt like an intrusion. What would she do if he opened the door, saw her, then slammed the door in both of their faces? Her eyes drifted to Sasuke; her sorrows weren't his problem.

The door opened a crack, the chain fastener was in place as a woman with a tanned face and pale pink eyes peered out at the two of them; Ren's heart clenched and she suddenly felt replaced. Ren's hand gripped Sasuke's so hard that he actually looked at her in confusion. "Who are ya with," the woman asked in a heavy Cajun accent.

"Ren Hyogo," Sasuke responded flatly. "Is Itachi home?"

Ren could hardly breathe as she stared down at the ground. There was another woman in Itachi's house. This explained his quick dump of her. Itachi had moved on and was already bedding someone else. The pain nearly knocked her down to her knees.

"He's restin' at the moment," the woman drawled out. "Is it important?"

"We need to talk to him," Ren told her flatly; she had such a tight hold on Sasuke's hand that she was sure he wouldn't be able to pull away even if he wanted to.

"Alright," she grumbled as she closed the door. A few seconds later the door was opening completely and Ren got a better look at the woman. She was plump and curvaceous. The woman had pretty pink hair, wore a tight-fitting black jumper with a pink sash around her waist, and towered over Ren in height. "Wait in the living room, I'll get him."

Ren led Sasuke awkwardly to the living room and refused to let go of him as she sat down on the couch. This had been where her relationship with Itachi became a romantic one; she was sitting in the same place she had been on that day. With a lump in her throat, she scooted a little closer to Sasuke and waited.

"What's up with you," Sasuke questioned as he tried to tug his hand from her's; instead all he ended up doing was putting both their hands on his thigh.

Ren opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when the man she knew as Kisame came into the house. "Hey, Chibi-chan," he called to her with a sly grin. "Nice to see you again, Sasuke-kun." Kisame nodded his head to Sasuke then returned his gaze to Ren.

"Hello, Hoshigaki-san," Ren murmured with a false grin. Sasuke said nothing but pulled his hand free of hers.

"Did Hana let you two in," Kisame asked lowly.

"Hana," Ren asked with her brows furrowed. Was that the woman's name? Ren's mind was back to comparing; the woman was a lot more feminine than Ren. Her body was lanky and awkward where Hana's was full and curvy.

"Hana Mizuko," Sasuke told her, "the woman that answered the door." His ebony eyes turned to Kisame, "Yes, she did."

"Good, that means she's still here," Kisame told them with a nod. "I wasn't sure if you had used your key or not." His eyes were fixated on Ren.

"My key," Ren asked in confusion.

"I didn't give her a key," Itachi stated flatly as he and Hana came into the living room. The lines between his eyes and nose were deeper set and he had dark circles under his eyes; he looked completely exhausted and a feeling of melancholy sunk into Ren.

"You had one made," Kisame countered.

"Doesn't mean I gave it to her," Itachi pointed out.

Ren felt microscopic as the two of them went back and forth like she wasn't even there.

"You were going to," Kisame reminded him with a glare.

"Enough," Sasuke demanded firmly, "I have questions."

Itachi blinked a few times as if he were just now realizing Sasuke were even there. "Hello, Otouto," he finally stated. He was as graceful as ever when he took a seat in one of the armchairs.

Kisame sat in the other with Hana on his lap; Ren suddenly felt foolish for assuming Hana was Itachi's new girlfriend.

"Are you really dying," Sasuke asked bluntly.

Ren's entire body went stiff as soon as the question registered. She had been curious too but that wasn't the route she expected Sasuke to take. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in horror.

"We are all dying, Sasuke-kun. Some just faster than others," Itachi told him with a shrug.

"That's not what I asked," Sasuke growled out.

"Yes," Itachi stated firmly. "I have been given three months, six if I am lucky. I have been ill for quite some time but it has gotten worse. I have a blood disease that prevents me from clotting and makes chemotherapy impossible. I've known about it for quite some time."

"You never told me," Ren blurted out with a frown.

"It isn't your burden," Itachi countered.

Ren stared at him with tears filling her eyes; his words had cut her deeply. "You're right," she murmured, "You decide who you share your life with."

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Is it genetic?"

"No, you will be fine Sasuke. Any children you have will be fine," Itachi informed him with a small smile.

The lump building in Ren's throat made her feel like she was suffocating; she kept swallowing over and over but saliva was building in her mouth. "E-excuse me," she whispered as she got up from the couch then rushed off to the bathroom; she refused to puke all over Itachi's floor.

Embarrassment set in when she had finished vomiting and cleaned herself up. Her white eyes were tinted red from the tears that had streamed down her face and her skin was ashenly pale; her reflection in the mirror was ghastly. She didn't know why her body decided that migraines and vomit were the way to deal with stress but she could imagine it had something to do with her blood pressure. With a sigh, she sat on the edge of Itachi's bathtub and pressed her cold fingers against her eyes. How could she face all of them now?

Ren wasn't sure how long she had sat there brooding about how embarrassing it would be but she knew it had been far too long. Cautiously she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway; she could hear them talking so she remained in place.

"Where does any of this leave us," Sasuke asked.

"I had only hoped for you to hear me out," Itachi replied.

"If ya don't stop this back and forth vague crap, I'm gonna hit ya both," Hana growled out. "Make your peace and move forward. The past is done and over. It ain't that hard of a concept!"

Ren's heart clenched; she could imagine the inner war going on inside Itachi at that moment. The idea came to stand beside him and hold his hand through this but his words came back to her. The fact that he thought she would see his illness as a burden crushed her; he hadn't trusted her. All she had wanted to do was be with him. A frown formed on her lips; suddenly his 'one day at a time' message made sense. What if she had unintentionally given him the impression that she wouldn't stick around without a promising future? She bit her bottom lip as she wondered what was going through his head.

"C'mon, chibi-nezumi," Kisame chuckled when he appeared in the hallway and saw her. "You've been standing here long enough. Join the conversation, assuming you aren't going to throw up everywhere."

"I think I'm okay now," she murmured as her cheeks tinted pink. With her eyes down she walked around Kisame and returned to her seat next to Sasuke. "Gomenasai."

"It's alright," Itachi told her with a forced smile, "It could not be helped."

"I'll call you if I have any more questions," Sasuke told Itachi with a nod.

"I have no doubts that you will. I hope I was able to explain things clearly to you now that you are actually listening to what I've said." Itachi had tilted his head to the side; the emotion in his eyes was overwhelming as he stared at Sasuke. "Hana," he called out as he turned his attention to the tanned woman standing between the kitchen and living room, "I believe you have some information to share with Ren now. She is here so now or never."

"I ain't saying a damn thing," Hana huffed as she crossed her arms over her voluptuous chest.

A sigh escaped Itachi's lips and his eyes darted to Kisame. "And you?"

Ren's brows furrowed as she stared at everyone in the room. She had no idea what was going on but it felt like it would be something awful. Her fingernails were digging into her palm from how tightly she had her fists clenched.

"Fine," Kisame grunted, "But not in front of him," his eyes landed on Sasuke, "this is too personal."

"I ain't shy," Hana countered.

"I see value in Sasuke hearing what you need to say. He does live with her and would be a sensible ally," Itachi stated.

Ren wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole; it was too much attention with too much confusion and it led her to feel like she was too close to the edge of a cliff.

"Whatever you say," Kisame sighed as he squatted down to be at Ren's level. The man was tall, taller than Itachi and Sasuke, so he was a giant compared to Ren; the fact he had gotten on her level was unnerving. "My fiance over there is pregnant. We had used condoms every time. Someone," his eyes drifted to the pink-haired woman who wasn't looking at them, "Has been poking holes."

"Congratulations? What does that have to do with me," Ren asked with her brows furrowed and her cheeks red.

"Because I gave some of them to Itachi about a month ago," Kisame told her with a grimace.

"I don't follow," she murmured; she couldn't look at any of them. Suddenly a light clicked on and her widened eyes were on Itachi. "And you used those with me." It wasn't a question but Itachi nodded regardless. "And Mizuko-san is pregnant because of the condoms having holes." Kisame and Hana both nodded at her. "Sasuke," she called to him as she stood up, "I'm ready to go home now."

"Sit," Hana barked out; Ren unintentionally complied.

"So you think you might have got my sixteen-year-old step-sister pregnant," Sasuke asked with his face blank. "This is too rich. How careless can you be?"

"I'm not," Ren deadpanned.

"Then this conversation is pointless," Itachi said with a nod.

"Agreed," she muttered.

"Chibi-chan," Hana called to her, "Take a walk with me. The guys can hash this one out without us."

Ren's entire face reflected her worry as she got to her feet again. Somewhere along the line, she had adjusted to being called cute/small and mouse by Kisame; it wasn't a stretch that the woman he was with would take to the nicknames as well. Ren's eyes met Sasuke's and he gave her a nod; she actually found it slightly comforting.

As soon as Ren and Hana were out of the house the older woman began walking and talking. "I didn't plan on involvin' ya," she grumbled. "I didn't know Kisame was gonna be supplying Itachi. Kisame's thing was always 'If it happens, it happens' but we've been together for ten years and it'd only happened once. We lost that one. Desperation, y'know?"

Ren stared anywhere but at Hana as she walked beside her. She had to take twice as many steps as Hana; Ren stood by her assumption that everyone in Nagisa was fed miracle grow. "I can't put myself in your shoes," Ren admitted, "But I won't fault you for wanting a family. No harm was done."

"Are ya sure about that, " Hana asked with a brow raised. "Ya just lost your cookies."

All the pride and confidence Ren had managed to conjure up evaporated instantly. "N-no," she confessed. "I haven't got my period yet."

"You're just a kid," Hana sighed. "If ya are, I'll help as best I can. Kisame will too."

"I'm not ready for a baby. There's a family out there that would be happy to have one," Ren murmured.

"You'd give it away even if it was the only child Itachi left to the world?"

Ren bit her lip and her step faltered. "It would be selfish not to."

"Either option is selfish, isn't it?"

Suddenly Ren wasn't sure where she stood on anything; it was like she had placed her feet on the ground then the ground changed. "I'm not pregnant."

"Then I guess there's nothing to worry about," Hana told her with a wry smile. "No need to come up with a plan for just in case."

Ren felt like she was a rabbit lured into a trap. No matter how she went about this conversation Hana would counter it and raise another point. "No there isn't," Ren stated.

The two of them walked around the block in silence. When they got back to Itachi's house Sasuke, Itachi, and Kisame were standing outside next to Sasuke's motorcycle. "You need a safer vehicle," Itachi stated to Sasuke.

"It's fine. I know what I'm doing," Sasuke complained.

"But other drivers are morons," Itachi countered.

"Let the boy have his fun," Kisame interrupted. "Honestly, you had your own phases. Let him have his."

"If he ain't crashed yet," Hana said as she jumped into the conversation, "At least ya know he can handle the bike."

"Actually Ren drove today," Sasuke told them with a shrug. "We're both perfectly capable on a motorcycle."

"You are not to go anywhere near that thing," Itachi stated firmly as he stared at Ren.

A faint blush formed on her cheeks; his gaze was intense. She looked away for a moment then put her hands on her hips. "I can make that decision for myself." The second she saw the pain in Itachi's eyes she regretted those words. "I'll think about it, " she sighed.

"I'll drive you home," Itachi offered, "Both of you."

"We need to be getting home and I'm not leaving my bike here," Sasuke told them as he pulled his helmet on and got on the bike. "C'mon, Ren."

"We'll be fine," she murmured. Sasuke had held her helmet out to her and she took it without hesitation. "I was driving," she argued.

"You drove here. I'm not riding bitch on my own bike ever again," Sasuke deadpanned.

Ren pouted but pulled the helmet on anyway. "See you later," she said with a wave as she climbed behind Sasuke and placed her hands on her thighs.

"I'll text you," Itachi informed her with a nod and wave.

Sasuke nodded his head to the three people standing in the driveway and started his bike. The moment it was ready to go he was pulling off the drive and out onto the street. Ren threw her arms around his chest; he suddenly sped up. "Sasuke!"

"Hey, gotta keep his heart active somehow," he told her with a laugh.

"You're awful!" Sasuke just laughed at her.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** The plot thickens... dun dun dunnnnnn. But hey, at least Sasuke's talking to Ita-kun!


	45. Hinata's Crush

As Ren and Hinata entered the pizzeria, Kentin greeted them happily from behind the register. "Welcome back Ren-chan! Who's this lovely young lady? My between you and Sasuke we're gaining customers like crazy. Job offer still stands," he told her quickly.

"This is my cousin, Hinata," Ren introduced her with a small smile, "Hinata-chan, this is Kentin. He owns this place."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hinata told him meekly. She had a light dusting of pink upon her full cheeks and wasn't making eye contact.

"Right back at you, doll," Kentin grinned, "Seriously, the job still stands."

"I may take you up on that offer soon," Ren told Kentin. "Is Sasuke in the usual spot?"

"Sure is," he responded with a nod.

"Thank you, Kentin," Ren said with a small smile. "C'mon, Hinata-chan," Ren grabbed Hinata by the wrist; she looked like she was going to combust. Kentin hadn't been flirting with her but Ren knew Hinata wasn't used to compliments or endearing conversations, especially from men around her father's age.

As soon as the two of them turned the corner, Itachi stood from his seat; of course, he would be facing the entryway. Ren nearly pouted visibly as she realized there would be no 'guess who' games… ever. She felt silly for even wanting to be cute like that.

"Hello," Itachi greeted them with a small smile; he was really happy.

"Hi," Ren replied with a faint blush on her cheeks; when he smiled he looked quite handsome. "This is my cousin, Hinata." Ren smiled at her cousin. "Hinata-chan, this is my fiance Itachi, my step-brother Sasuke, and our mutual friend Naruto." Ren had nodded to each person as she spoke. When everyone was seated and greetings exchanged Ren turned her attention to Sasuke. "Kentin keeps offering me a job."

"Maybe you should take it," Sasuke told her with a shrug. "He likes you for some reason."

"Did Sasuke-teme not tell you what Kentin said when he brought that girl here? What was her name, teme? It was after you'd broken up with Karin," Naruto was grinning like he knew something they didn't.

"I don't remember what you're talking about," Sasuke growled; Hinata squeaked in surprise.

"Her name doesn't even matter," Naruto laughed, "Anyway he brought the girl here, like he does everyone, expecting Kentin to bad mouth you but instead he was upset you weren't back. He says you're a keeper."

"Shut up Naruto," Sasuke demanded lowly.

"I can't argue with him," Itachi chuckled

"Hey, it's true! You moaned and groaned about it for three days," Naruto reminded him.

Sasuke thumped Naruto on the head. "Shut up," he warned.

"Ow, that wasn't nice, teme! I'm just trying to help Ren-chan understand why Kentin likes her so much!"

As the two of them argued Ren's eyes traveled to Hinata and then Itachi; the two of them were watching the display intently. Hinata was blushing as she stared at Naruto. Itachi was trying to hide a smirk. When Ren turned her attention back to Hinata she realized something; her cousin was developing a crush on her friend. With the inside of her lip between her teeth, Ren looked away; she felt dirty for even noticing.

From under the table, someone -Itachi- placed his hand on her thigh, close to her knee, and gave a gentle squeeze. Perhaps Ren would come to understand the bond Jia and Hideki had after all. A small smile graced him as she placed her hand on his and linked their fingers together; sometimes facial expressions and gestures said more than words.

"Enough," Itachi sighed like it was the most trying thing in the world. The two teenage boys stopped their squabbling almost instantly as they muttered their apologies. "You two are not making a good impression on Hyuga-san."

Cerulean and ebony eyes were instantly on the blushing Hyuga beside Ren. The elder Hyuga girl had to choke back a laugh as the color of Hinata's cheeks rose clear up to her forehead.

"Hey," Sai greeted them with a forced smile as he stood at the end of the large table with an order pad and pen.

"Hey, Sai," Ren returned his greeting. "This is my cousin Hinata. She's here for the wedding. Hinata this is Sai, he's one of my dearest friends."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the two of them said almost in sync. Everyone placed their orders and there was a lapse in the conversation for only a few seconds.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto called to the younger Hyuga, "Before you leave, you have got to try Ichiraku Ramen. It's the best noodle shop in the entire city."

"You only say that because you work there," Sasuke grumbled.

"I think that's a great idea," Itachi chuckled. "Naruto, perhaps you could take Hyuga-san for ramen tomorrow. It'd have to be before lunch but she should experience the cultural nesting-pot that is Nagisa."

Ren narrowed her eyes as she stared at Itachi; apparently, she wasn't the only one that had noticed the way Hinata was looking at Naruto. Jealousy was beginning to bubble its way into her heart; she blinked as she realized what was happening. Itachi squeezed her thin fingers gently and she offered a small smile; was Itachi jealous of her friendship with Naruto like Ren was jealous of Hinata's crush on Naruto? Ren truly hoped not.

It wasn't until Sai brought their drinks that Ren realized she had been stuck in her own head; there was an entire section of the conversation she had missed. Fatigue was starting to set in as Naruto and Sasuke argued, Hinata offered stuttered replies, and Itachi tried to keep the two boys in line. The longer they sat there the more tired she felt. "Excuse me," Ren murmured as she got to her feet, her fingers detangled from Itachi's before she had even scooted her chair back, "I'll be back in a minute."

As she walked away she heard the conversation pick back up. The bathroom was at the front of the restaurant so she had to walk right by the kitchen; perhaps splashing cold water on her face would jolt her body awake.

"Are you alright," Sai asked as he cleaned up the prep counter.

She stopped in front of the doorway and offered a weak smile to her friend. "I'm just feeling really tired," Ren told him with a sigh.

"Pregnancy does that. You'll also be nauseous, sore, and emotional for the next eight months," Sai replied as he dried his hands on a towel, "Growing a baby is difficult on the body, especially someone as young as you are."

"You've been reading up on pregnancy," Ren pointed out. She couldn't be offended that he mentioned her age; she was too young to be having a baby but she was.

"Of course. You are my friend and I wish to be able to help you through this to the best of my ability. I also plan to read about babies. You should drink more ice water; it gets into your bloodstream quickly, the cold should help you feel more alert."

"Thank you, Sai." Ren was openly gaping at him.

"I think your cousin fainted," Sai pointed out.

When Ren turned around she saw Hinata red as a tomato, Naruto shaking her awake, and Itachi fanning her face; Sasuke was the only person who seemed unconcerned. "Oh, my," Ren gasped, "Thanks, Sai." She was quickly back to the table and asked, "What happened?"

"One minute I was telling her about soccer and the next she was slumped in the chair," Naruto whined.

"You were practically in her face while you were talking," Itachi stated.

"G-Gomenasai," Hinata murmured once she opened her eyes. "Eep," she squeaked when she realized Naruto was still in her face.

"Naruto-kun," Ren sighed, "Hinata needs breathing room." Naruto released the Hyuga and returned to his seat. "Are you alright," she asked her cousin as she sat down next to Itachi.

"I-I'll b-b-be f-fi-fine," Hinata sputtered out with a fake smile.

Ren hated to do it but she knew she was going to have to talk to Hinata about her apparent crush on Naruto. Maybe if Ren listened she could give Hinata advice so she wasn't fainting in Ichiraku the following day. For now, since they weren't alone, she would leave the subject alone.

"Have you guys thought of names yet," Naruto asked quickly.

Apparently, Ren had been holding her hand over her belly and he had noticed. It was a silly thing but now that she knew there was a life growing inside of her she found herself doing that often. She hoped she wouldn't mess this kid up.

"I suggested Sarada if it's a girl," Sasuke muttered with a shrug.

"I am not naming it Sarada," Ren groaned; Itachi was grimacing beside her. "We have time to figure it out. We won't be able to know the gender until week eighteen or twenty anyway. TenTen asked the doctor."

"We can figure that out after the wedding. For now, we're calling it Baby Uchiha," Itachi informed them.

"I hate to admit it because of our upbringing but I'm really excited to be an aunt," Hinata murmured.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Hinata-chan," Ren beamed; it was nice having people on her side. She didn't expect anyone to agree with her for getting pregnant -hell, she hadn't planned it- but those who berated her for it were awful. There was a time to preach abstinence; once a girl was pregnant wasn't that time. Ren's eyes drifted to Sasuke; he was paying for it and the only thing he was guilty of was being her step-brother.

"I'm sure more people will come around, Ren-chan," Naruto told her with a small smile.

"If they don't it's their loss, anyway. Pregnancy and parenthood aren't the ends of the world," Itachi stated.

Ren stared at the four people sitting at the table with her and her heart clenched; these were people that supported her decisions whether they liked them or not. She had to figure out a way to save Itachi's life because losing even one supporter may be her downfall. Love was a strange thing; the idea of living without him was beyond terrifying.

Sai brought their orders out and the conversation jumped away from Baby Uchiha but Ren's mind remained on the subject. Itachi expected Sasuke to step into his role when he died; she wasn't sure how to explain why she thought that but it was what her gut was telling her. It seemed so wrong to drag Sasuke down with her. As her eyes focused on her step-brother she felt sick to her stomach; he wasn't bright and bubbly but he was overall carefree at that moment. Ren refused to ruin him because she had slept with his brother.

Slowly Ren pulled out her phone and sent Itachi a text, " _I want to move in with you."_

The moment Itachi finished reading it he was staring up at her in awe. " _We'll talk about it in private,"_ he responded.

It seemed foolish to text someone sitting right next to her but it was a decision she didn't want to say in front of everyone. Hideki would have to agree before she brought it up to anyone but Itachi. No matter what Ren had to convince him to allow it; her family needed to be free from the negativity she was bringing to their lives.


	46. She Knew

Konohamaru wasn't taking the news about the baby well at all; he had asked Ren to play soccer but Jia had told him she couldn't. Ren had tried to offer to help TenTen by doing her kata with her but that had been shot down. The list of things Ren wasn't allowed to do was bumming her out as much as it did Konohamaru.

Ren had just felt like she was just getting her life on track before she found out she was pregnant. There would be no more soccer or martial arts teams which removed the potential for a college baby hadn't even gotten to the size of her fist yet and she felt like it was messing up her plans.

With a muffled sigh Ren walked into the living room and was surprised to see Naruto playing on the PlayStation but Sasuke nowhere in sight. "Where's Sasuke," Ren asked with her brows furrowed as she sat on the couch next to him.

"He's with Itachi at the doctor's. He called for a ride a few hours ago. I have no idea what's going on," Naruto sighed and handed the second controller to her. "Sasuke left in a hurry. I think he's getting worse."

"I know he is," Ren murmured as she pressed the PS button in the center to log in. "I tried to convince Hideki to let me move in with him but he refused completely."

"That bad, huh?" Naruto questioned with a brow raised.

Ren hadn't realized it but she was outwardly grimacing; if they were in an anime she would have squiggly blue lines over her darkened face. "He's adamant that I have to finish school before I go anywhere. I could do that from Itachi's house just as easily. He asked me if I wanted to be a negative statistic on graduation rates when I was already a negative with teen pregnancies. I don't understand him."

Naruto frowned as he started up their game. "I guess I can see both sides of it, y'know? You're his daughter and he's trying to look out for you. Why did you want to move out anyway? All of your support is here. Itachi's not gonna make it much longer."

"I know," Ren sighed, "I wish the Senju Hospital would return my calls but they seem to be content in giving me the runaround. I want to spend as much time with him as I can. He is dying and should not be alone. I'm also worried about what I'm doing to everyone else by staying here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you're the only friend Sasuke has that will still come over. Temari and TenTen are out doing a lot more stuff without me because of their friends' parents. Sai is working all the time ever since summer hit; the last time we really hung out together was before I found out I was even pregnant. I just feel like I'm bringing everyone down with me, Naruto," she admitted with unfocused eyes; the game was impossible to play at that moment.

Naruto hit pause, sat his controller down, and then wrapped his arms around her gently. "Is it us you want to save or are you trying to destroy yourself?"

Ren's entire body stilled as she tried to process Naruto's words. With a staggered breath, she pressed her forehead against his shoulder. "I think it's both. I've done this to myself. Why should anyone else pay for it?"

"Because you didn't do this to yourself," Naruto groaned, "Look. It seems pretty scary now but you've got all of us. We're not going to let you ruin anyone's life, including yours. Sasuke's actually really excited about the baby and TenTen is too. Suigetsu is only heartbroken because you're marrying Itachi and that means he can't flirt with you anymore."

"Konohamaru hates it," Ren sighed.

"He's just upset that you can't play with him like he wants you to. If he played gently it'd be a different story. He's mad at the situation, not the baby. Let Jia handle him. She knows what to say to him to help. We aren't going anywhere. With Itachi the way he is, you're going to need us around, dattebayo."

Ren sobbed and wrapped her arms around Naruto's torso as he held her tighter. "I'm so sorry, Naruto," she whimpered, "I just don't know what I'm even doing."

"You're marrying a guy you love tomorrow and you're going to have his baby. You're finishing school and going to college. You have friends and family that love you and only want to see you succeed. Things seem tough but you've got this. I know you can handle it even if you don't think you can."

Naruto was running his fingers through her long raven hair as he spoke; he didn't know if but Ren was going to fall asleep on him if he kept doing that. She was always so tired and the stress of not knowing what the future held was taking its toll on her mind.

Her eyes drifted shut and her breathing evened out but quickly she was jolted back into reality by the sound of the kitchen door closing. Ren and Naruto looked at each other momentarily before they got back to their game. Explaining why Ren was upset would just make her more upset and she was tired of being upset!

"Game time is over," Sasuke stated as he came into the living room and tossed a folder from the hospital onto the coffee table.

Naruto released an exaggerated groan as he pressed pause _again_. "What is it now, teme?"

Ren's eyes were focused on the folder; she knew what Sasuke was going to say even before the doorbell rang. He opened the door without even looking; Hana was at the door. Ren's heart fell down into her stomach; she knew what they were about to tell her.

"How's she holding up," Hana asked lowly in her Cajun accent but Ren could still hear.

"I haven't told her yet," Sasuke grumbled.

The two of them came into the living room where Ren sat with a death grip on Naruto's hand. Sasuke motioned for Hana to take a seat after he did but the tall, curvaceous woman remained on her feet. She was staring at Ren with her pink brows furrowed and Ren knew what she was thinking was right. "Just tell me," Ren begged.

"He's in the hospital," Sasuke told her flatly.

"It's not looking good. The tumor on his lungs has almost doubled and they don't know how he's even still alive," Hana whispered. Once she had said it, she took her seat.

Ren felt like she had just spun around fifty times in two seconds; the entire room was spinning and Naruto actually had to hold her upright. "He seemed fine," she whispered. Ren had known but having it confirmed was worse than only thinking she knew. "I want to see him," Ren announced as she unsteadily got to her feet.

"Ya can't," Hana grumbled. "Ya ain't married and the only reason they have allowed Kisame with him is that he flashed his badge."

Ren's heart sunk deeper and her body mimicked the action by slumping back to the couch.

"He signed a DNR," Sasuke informed her quietly.

"What does that mean," Naruto asked with his brows furrowed.

"It means if he dies, they're to leave him that way," Ren whispered. She raked her fingers through her hair pulling it slightly as she did so. This had to be a bad dream. It had to be.

"Why would he do that?!" Naruto's fists were clenched as he shouted at Sasuke.

"Because he's made his peace with the world," Hana hissed at the blond, "His body is giving out on him. If they brought him back, he'd just keep dying. To him this is less painful for her," her eyes drifted to Ren, "there's no senseless hope this way. His suffering will finally be over."

Ren had been trying her best not to cry but she had lost the battle. Tears streamed down her face and she hid behind her hands as she fought not to sob. Nothing about this situation was kind; Itachi was dying painfully. Ren quickly grabbed her phone to call Tokuma; he needed to get the Senju hospital involved right now.

"Don't," Sasuke told her as he gripped her wrist; she wasn't sure when he had even moved in front of her. "He's ready to die whether we're ready or not."

Ren's bottom lip trembled as her cell phone slipped from her grip. Naruto caught it so that it didn't fall to the floor but Ren didn't even notice; her eyes were on ebony orbs that looked just like his brother's. A sob escaped her lips and she crumbled into pieces right there in front of three people.

"Okay," Hana sighed, "Where can we talk in private? You two ain't gonna get anywhere with this."

"My Room is just right there," Sasuke murmured as he hoisted Ren up bridal style. Ren's body was limp as he carried her and Naruto had objected the entire time. With one look from Sasuke, Naruto's words got stuck in his throat. "She'll be fine," Sasuke assured him.

Ren had heard the conversation, she knew she was being carried, and that Hana was now the only one in Sasuke's room with her but she didn't care about any of it. This was just a waiting game to see when Itachi would finally die at this point; she couldn't decide if her mother's death was easier or harder to deal with than this. One minute Naoma had been there driving back to work, the next she was dead; she hadn't suffered. Itachi was suffering and Ren had known it; would being able to say goodbye make it easier? She quickly decided that no matter what, losing a loved one was painful.

"Hey," Hana called out as she snapped her fingers in front of Ren's face, "I've been trying to talk to ya for ten minutes now. Pay attention, alright?"

Ren blinked and her teary eyes focused on Hana's face. The older woman looked like she was having a hard time keeping her own tears in. "Alright," Ren murmured.

"Itachi's been in my life for almost as long as Kisame," Hana explained as she sat down next to her on the bed; it shifted awkwardly under her weight. "He's like a brother to me, ya know? I'm upset and hurt but I've been that way for the last two years. He's lived for two years with a tumor growing on his lung and without surgery or chemotherapy.

"I know you don't have the two years to accept that he's gonna leave us but he's fine with it. Itachi believes maybe he'll get to see his parents again when he dies. He hopes he'll be able to watch over us. He may not say it, in fact I know he doesn't, but he loves ya, Chibi-chan. He loves that baby. Even after he's gone you're never going to be alone. It may have been an accident but Itachi is so relieved he's not leaving you with nothing."

"I don't want anything from him," Ren choked out as she pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes. "I knew he was dying but I don't want him to."

"I don't either but I don't want him to keep suffering more. Sometimes we gotta let go before we're ready but that doesn't make the feelings any less important. We're all gonna have random times ten years from now where Itachi comes to mind. He's not gonna be forgotten even if he's not here."

Ren began to cry again and Hana held her close to her chest. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I'm being so selfish, aren't I?"

"It's normal to wish to hang on to people you love for as long as you can. He's hurtin', Chibi-chan. When he called Kisame, I knew. Sasuke knew when Itachi called him for a ride too. Chibi-chan, we gotta love him and make this easier for him. I'm hopin' they'll let us see him. If they do, we gotta be prepared to send him into the afterlife with smiles. He's not gonna want to see us all cryin'. Get it all out now so you can smile for him."

Hana was rubbing the top of Ren's head gently as she spoke but Ren could feel tears soaking her hair; Hana was crying too. The knowledge just made her sob harder. In return, Hana sobbed audibly too. There was nothing more to say; there were no more words of comfort. The two women sobbed for the man they cared for deeply in the hopes that they wouldn't cry in front of him.

Sasuke knocked on the door a while later and stared at the two of them with his brows furrowed; Ren and Hana were a cuddling-tangled mess on his bed. "I think she'll be alright now," Hana murmured as she detangled from Ren; the younger was half asleep and refused to move due to fatigue. Sasuke could sleep in her bed for all she cared; it was big enough for both boys. "Just keep an eye on her," Hana instructed Sasuke, "Don't let her forget to take care of herself." Hana turned back to Ren, "I'll call ya as soon as we can visit, Chibi-chan."

"Okay," she murmured as she snuggled her red face into Sasuke's pillow. There were no more tears left to shed and her skin was blotchy from all the tear wiping. She felt completely numb as her exhausted mind fought to remain conscious.

"You're getting snot on my pillow," Sasuke grumbled when Hana had gone.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "you can use mine."

Naruto, who had been standing in the hallway came into the room with his eyes wide. "Ren-chan," he murmured her name. The look he exchanged with Sasuke was one of worry; any other time she would've been sarcastic.

Ren burrowed deeper in the pillow begging them to just leave her alone. Neither of them knew the amount of pain she felt. How could they? "I'll trade you pillows for the night," she stated flatly as she turned her back to them.

"No way," Sasuke groaned, "Your pillows smell like you. I'll never get to sleep."

Ren's eyes widened as she stared at him. "I didn't realize I smelled bad," she muttered.

Naruto snickered from beside Sasuke. "You don't, Ren-chan," Naruto promised. "He's gonna have to wash his bedding tomorrow anyway so don't sweat it. OW!"

Sasuke had hit Naruto on the head to shut him up. "That's because you stink, dobe."

"I smell like ramen! How is that stinky?"

Ren didn't hear whatever reply Sasuke gave; her eyes had drifted closed and she fell asleep.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** So I struggled a lot writing this... as I have for the past few chapters. I'm suffering from writer's block and debating about putting this story on hold for a little while. I've also gotten a few not-nice reviews though. Those make me want to write this story even more. I'm doing my best, guys. Thank you for reading!


	47. Mrs Uchiha

_Ren's eyes opened slowly as a knocking sound echoed through the room. "Ren, honey," Jia called out to her gently, "I'm turning on the light."_

 _As the light came on Ren had to blink to adjust; its reflection off the dark walls had kept it from being unbearable but she still wanted to groan in annoyance. A few seconds later she gasped; Ren had fallen asleep in Sasuke's room._

" _Sasuke told me what happened," Jia told her as she sat down on Sasuke's bed beside Ren. "Apparently you've been asleep for hours. How are you holding up?"_

 _Ren shrugged as she sat up. "I feel kind of numb now," she admitted._

" _I'm so sorry, honey." Jia wrapped her arms around Ren and rested her head on top of her daughter's. "I came to tell you that Hana called Sasuke; he and are Naruto already headed to the hospital. TenTen and I will take you, okay? I've also called Hideki at Itachi's request; he'll meet us there."_

" _Okay," Ren mumbled as she sunk against Jia's body. The only thing she felt was exhausted._

Ren sat in the front row of the funeral home staring at the urn they had placed on an altar. Soft music meant to be calming played quietly throughout the room. She hadn't cried since she walked in with her head held high but she felt like it was only a matter of time.

Hana squeezed her hand, drawing her attention. "Are ya holdin up okay?"

"I'm fine," Ren told her flatly. Jia, Hideki, Konohamaru, Suigetsu, and TenTen were seated in the second row. They seemed to be taking turns with Hana about checking on Sasuke then her; she was not frail and didn't need to be asked how she was every five minutes. They were waiting for the service to begin and people were still flooding in.

Kisame had told her that the entire police force was there and several of the people Itachi had impacted during his time as a police officer; Ren knew she was going to have to offer a false 'thank you' to every single one of them. Her eyes drifted to Sasuke; he was sitting with his hand on his lap right next to her but he felt thousands of miles away.

Slowly she placed her hand on his and slipped her fingers between his before he could reject her attempt at comfort. Sasuke's ebony eyes widened as he stared at her with his brows furrowed. She offered a weak, sad smile but said nothing. His eyes were so much like Itachi's and his hand was so warm; she was trying to draw comfort from him too.

 _As Ren sat holding Itachi's cold hand against her cheek she fought back tears; the numbness she had been feeling had faded and it was replaced with sorrow. This was one of the hardest things she had ever had to endure; as she stared at Itachi's pale face she knew he was truly suffering. "You can't be serious," she murmured to him._

" _I'm completely serious," he told her with a ghost of a smile. "I told you I'd marry you and I refuse to die before I do."_

" _Itachi," she whispered his name breathlessly._

" _And if it's a boy, consider naming him Aysha and if it's a girl, think of naming her Keiko," he requested._

" _I love those names," she admitted with a little laugh. She was trying to be strong for him._

" _I'm here," Hideki announced as he rushed into the room._

 _Itachi nodded his head towards the chair beside Ren and waited for Hideki to have a seat. "I'm not long for this world," Itachi told him like Hideki was uninformed; he nodded for Itachi to continue. "I promised I'd take care of Ren whether I was here or not. I need your permission to marry her here, today. I don't think I'll make it to the ceremony."_

 _Tears formed again as Ren listened to him speak. His voice was weak and his hand was ice cold even though she was holding it. He really was running out of time and she couldn't help but feel like she had failed him somehow. If Ren had known sooner, acted faster to reach out to the Senju Hospital, perhaps he wouldn't have had to worry about dying any time soon._

" _You already have my permission," Hideki told him with his brows furrowed._

" _A daughter shouldn't get married without her father," Itachi murmured weakly._

The priest had said nice things about the man he had only met briefly. The ceremony felt like it had lasted an eternity; the entire time Ren had been battling not to cry. A dam broke and she had sobbed into Hana's shoulder while she still kept a death grip on Sasuke's hand; he had been crying too and she couldn't hold back any longer. Ren's heart had shattered so thoroughly once again.

So many people had walked through and offered their condolences to Ren, Sasuke, Hana, and Kisame that the younger girl could no longer tell faces apart. The truth was Ren was unable to take her eyes off the urn containing what used to be Uchiha Itachi. There would be no more rides home from school and pit-stops for ice cream; no more laughs about Sasuke's early years and Itachi's love for his brother. A lump formed in her throat as she tried to swallow back another sob. Itachi was gone and she felt completely hopeless.

" _Mrs. Uchiha," Itachi murmured as he played with the ring now resting on her left hand. "I love you." The words had been so soft-spoken and sincere that Ren had a hard time breathing as she stared at him. She had told him she loved him countless times but he had never actually said it until that moment. "Take care of the baby and Sasuke for me," he requested._

" _You already know that I will," Ren whispered as tears began to pool in her eyes once more._

" _Sasuke will take care of you both, too," Itachi chuckled weakly before coughing hard. His cough halted and an alarm started from one of the machines. "I'll always be with you," he managed to say as his eyes drifted shut._

 _Nurses ran into the room and Sasuke pulled Ren out. He was dying right there and he had removed her from the room. "Please, I can't leave him," Ren begged as she fought to pull her arm free._

" _We would just be in the way, " he told her with a frown, "We have to let him go, Ren." Tears had fallen from his eyes too and speaking seemed to strain him. He wrapped his arms around her and the two of them sobbed together in the hallway as they listened to nurses shouting numbers and codes to each other._

At some point, Hana had led Ren and Sasuke to the banquet being held in a large room of the funeral home. A plate had been placed in front of her by TenTen but she hadn't eaten any of it. With a plastic fork in hand, she pushed a grape back and forth like a soccer ball; her mind wasn't in the present at all.

"Ren, honey," Jia murmured from beside her daughter to gain her attention, "You've got to eat. You haven't eaten a good meal in a few days. The baby needs you to eat. Everyone brought food so there's plenty to take home too. Please, honey." Tears began to pool in Ren's eyes as she stabbed the fork into the grape and put it in her mouth. "I'll be with Konohamaru if you need me okay?"

Ren nodded slowly and forced another bite into her mouth without even looking to see what it was; food had no taste anyway. She had chosen an empty table to sit at but Hana and Kisame joined her a few minutes after Jia walked away. TenTen wasn't too far behind them and Sasuke followed behind her.

"I'm glad to see you're eating, Chibi-chan," Kisame told her with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't," Hana growled. "That ain't gonna make her want to eat more."

"It's okay," Ren murmured. "I just haven't felt hungry."

"You have to eat though," TenTen frowned.

"I've been making her eat at least a little," Hana stated. "Truthfully I don't feel much like eatin' either."

"You two still have to take care of yourselves," TenTen reminded them.

"No," Kisame told TenTen with a quick shake of his head. "That's our jobs right now. They're supposed to feel what they feel. We're supposed to make sure they shower, eat, and sleep." Ren looked up at Kisame with her brows furrowed. "What is it, Chibi-chan," he asked her gently.

"You're mourning too," she whispered.

"That's true," Kisame stated, "but I've got you two to keep me busy. It's easier to deal with my own feelings if I have normal stuff going on. Hana's grief is helping me overcome my own."

"And his is helping me with mine. Sad sex helps," Hana stated. Her lovely pink eyes stared at Sasuke then Ren. "Hey, maybe you two should-"

"No," Sasuke and Ren said at the same time.

"Ya don't even know what I was gon' say," Hana argued.

TenTen laughed but quickly covered her mouth. Everyone at the table smiled at her. "Maybe smiles are a better form of coping," TenTen told them the second she realized they had all been smiling. "I think," she tilted her head from one side to the other as she tried to find the right way to voice her thoughts. "I think we're all supposed to miss Itachi and that will never go away but I also think he would want us all to laugh and be happy. I know I felt better when life felt normal after Gran-Gran died."

"I think you might be onto something," Hana told her with a small smile. "Chibi-chan," Hana turned to Ren, "How about you and I make it a point to have dinner together at least once a week. You can bring TenTen or any other female friends ya got but no guys. It'll become part of our normal. Girl time."

"I like that idea," Ren responded softly.

"You should also go out and about with Hinata and Neji," TenTen instructed. "They aren't going to be here much longer and I'm sure they'd be able to help too."

"Okay." Ren nodded her head once and then turned her attention to the quiet Uchiha beside her. "Sasuke," she bit her lip nervously, "Can we make it a point to visit his grave marker once a week too? We take flowers and then go get ice cream. You'll get whatever you want and I'll get Itachi's favorite. I'll force you to try some even though you hate sweet things and we'll just spend the day remembering him."

Sasuke stared at her wide-eyed as tears glided down her cheeks. He didn't respond right away so she opened her mouth to apologize but he cut her off. "We can do that," he agreed flatly.

"Excuse me," a woman with pale blue, short hair with a bun said as she approached the table. "I have some items of Itachi's that I had been meaning to return to him. Would it be alright if I give those to you?"

"Of course," Sasuke told her with a nod. Ren had stopped breathing; why did she have anything of Itachi's?

"Ah, Konan," Kisame greeted her with a half smile. "I wasn't sure you would show up here. You and Nagato have been quite busy."

"I always make time for my friends," Konan stated flatly. "It's good to see you again Kisame. Hana. I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances."

"This is Itachi's wife, Ren, and his brother, Sasuke, and their sister, TenTen," Hana introduced the three teenagers. "This is Konan. She is a sketch artist on the force. Kisame and Itachi had to work with her a lot once they got promoted." Ren and Sasuke nodded to the woman in sync but kept their mouths closed.

"You look just like him," Konan declared with a weak smile. "I'm glad he managed to reach out to you."

"Do you like sketching for the police," TenTen asked quickly.

"I do. I prefer origami but being able to help people is a good use of my artistic talent," Konan replied flatly.

As Ren sat there she felt like a sixth wheel; Konan talked to Sasuke and TenTen but said nothing to Ren no matter how much Hana tried to include the younger girl in the conversation. Ren decided she did not like Konan; perhaps it was irrational but something felt off about her.

Ren excused herself from the table and locked herself inside the bathroom. There were so many things about Uchiha Itachi she didn't know; the worst part was she couldn't ask him about any of it because he had made her his widow. The more she thought the harder she sobbed. Her life wasn't supposed to be this complicated. "How am I supposed to bring you up happy in this mess," she asked her abdomen through her tears.


	48. Packing

Ren had spent time with Neji and Hinata. There were trips out with Hana, TenTen, and Temari. Kisame had taken to stopping by every evening after he got off work to check on Ren and Sasuke. Jia and Hideki made it a point to ask her about her day. Slowly but surely a routine was being developed and Ren hated to admit that she was getting used to it.

Sai and Naruto had also become part of her daily routine; both had been staying over quite often. Suigetsu had growled about Sai having to sleep in his room but now the two of them were slowly becoming friends; Ren didn't know what that meant for poor Sai. She did know that she wished summer never had to end.

Sasuke had tried to seclude himself from everyone and to mourn alone but Naruto wasn't having any of that. Ren could now honestly say she had met Jiraiya; he had come by with autographed books and food since he wanted to give them gifts and was sure Naruto was eating them out of house and home. The man had been entertaining to be around but Ren was glad when he had left; socializing seemed to exhaust her no matter who it was with.

"It's so hard to decide what to keep and what to donate," Sasuke murmured as he placed a pair of Itachi's jeans into the donation box.

"I know," Ren murmured. The time had come to clean out Itachi's home and get it ready to sell. "I want to keep everything but Jia is right, we can't keep everything and someone else could use it."

"Itachi wanted us to donate everything, anyway," Sasuke stated as he continued going through Itachi's closet.

"I didn't know that," Ren whispered as she wrapped another picture frame in a newspaper and tucked it away in the keep box. There were many things she didn't know about Itachi.

"We had talked about it," he told her with a grimace. "I hate doing this."

"I don't want to," Ren admitted.

"The house isn't big enough though," Sasuke sighed.

"I know," Ren nodded as she swallowed hard, "It'd be big enough for you though. At least until you get married."

"You're stuck with me," he groaned, "I'm not letting you move out without me."

"Sasuke?"

"I promised I'd take care of you two," he elaborated, "I can't do that well if we aren't under the same roof. I figure we buy a duplex or something."

"Sasuke, you don't have to be around me twenty-four-seven. We're both going to have our own lives. You call and check on us and go about your life."

"I can't, Ren," he sighed. "That baby is all I have left of my _entire_ clan. I don't want to be that uncle that pops up for holidays and that's it."

"We don't have to figure it out right now," Ren reminded him as she pulled a book down from the bookcase. An origami crane fell out onto the floor; her brows furrowed. "What's this," she asked out loud without meaning to.

"Looks like a crane to me," Sasuke shrugged as she picked it up.

Ren examined the crane slowly; it was beautifully folded out of a thin, rose patterned paper. "Do you think Konan made it for him?"

"Could have." Sasuke was staring at her with his brows furrowed. "Don't go there."

"I haven't the faintest clue what you're talking about," Ren defended as she pouted.

"He's dead. He married you. Whatever happened, with whoever in the past is just that, the past. Don't go digging it up, Ren," he warned.

"I'm not," she murmured guiltily. "Do you think she would want it back?"

"I doubt that," Sasuke sighed.

"What are we supposed to do with it then?"

"Just put it back in the book."

"But it's a book I'm keeping."

"What's your point, Ren?"

"It'll be there every time I open it!"

"I'm failing to see the problem."

"Sasuke," she whimpered.

"Fine," he groaned, "put it in a book I'm taking."

"Why do you want it," she asked with her eyes wide.

"Because Itachi kept it. I'll keep it," he rationalized.

A heavy feeling formed as Ren slipped the crane into one of the books from Sasuke's pile. Ren had been refraining from asking Kisame and Hana about Konan but now she didn't think she could. "When do you think Naruto will be back," she asked gently.

"He took a lot of clothes to the shelter," Sasuke responded with a shrug, "I figure he'll be back any minute."

"It's a good thing your best friend has a truck, huh? Now take back what you said about her," Naruto shouted as he came into the bedroom with more boxes for them to fill.

"I stand by my statement that it is one pothole away from becoming a lowrider," Sasuke deadpanned.

Ren chuckled and quickly covered her mouth to stifle the sound; Naruto had noticed and was mock glaring at her. "What's so funny, Ren-chan?" Naruto dropped the boxes onto the ground then threw her over his shoulder. "You got a problem with my truck?"

Ren laughed and squirmed trying to get away from him but he had her caught. "Not at all," she squeaked. Her laughter faded when she realized Naruto's hand was wrapped around one of her thighs and she could have bitten his butt if she wanted to. Heat pooled in her cheeks and she suddenly felt dirty.

"Dobe, you're making all of her blood rush to her head," Sasuke growled, "You have to be careful with her."

"I'm not a porcelain doll," Ren argued as Naruto lowered her feet back to the ground, "He didn't hurt me or the baby."

"He could have," Sasuke retorted.

"You know damn well I wouldn't do that. I can think things through, you know," Naruto stated with his arms crossed.

"Looks like you three are slacking," Hana teased from the hallway. "I got the hall closet emptied out. That man had three vacuums. I'd never even seen him use one."

"Each one had a different strength," Ren murmured as she returned to the bookcase. "The black does the carpet, the blue does the furniture, and the gray was for the car."

"Do you need three vacuums," Hana asked with her brows furrowed.

"Our house doesn't even have carpet," Sasuke stated, "Keep one for the rug?"

Ren's eyes drifted to the red and gold solid rug Itachi had kept on his side of the bed. "Keep the blue. It won't destroy the rug," Ren murmured.

"Alright. Goodwill is gaining two vacuums then," Hana responded with a nod.

"Hey Ren-chan," Naruto called to her as Hana walked away. Ren's eyes shifted to Naruto so he continued, "I know this is hard but I'm really proud of you. I'm proud of both of you. You're following Itachi's wishes."

"Thank you for helping, Naruto-kun," Ren murmured.

"I owe him as much," Sasuke stated.

"Sasuke," Ren whimpered; she didn't feel like he owed Itachi anything at all. He had made Itachi's last few weeks of life peaceful and full of smiles; she knew that was enough for him. The words didn't leave her lips, however, because she knew she felt like she had to live up to Itachi's expectations too.

"Hey, enough of the doom and gloom look that you two are sporting. We've got a lot of work to get done by the end of the week," Kisame chided from the hallway. "Not saying I want a new neighbor but there's no point in you paying taxes on this place. The realtor wants to do a walk through soon."

"I know," Ren sighed, "He's really pushy. Thank you, Kisame-san."

"Quit thanking me for lecturing you," Kisame chuckled as he entered the bedroom and leaned against the empty dresser. "You guys are doing great."

Ren smiled weakly and looked at Sasuke; she had wished to see Kisame and Hana alone so she could ask them about Konan. "Sasuke," Ren murmured, "I'm getting kind of hungry. Do you think you could pick me up a sandwich or something?"

"It's not even lunchtime yet," he groaned.

"I know, I know," she deflated, "I can't help it okay?"

"Fine. Naruto, go get food for Ren," Sasuke demanded.

"She asked you, teme," Naruto countered with his eyes narrowed.

"Here's an idea," Kisame grunted out, "How about both of you go and get lunch for everyone. Pizza or Chinese, I don't care." Neither boy argued with Kisame as they headed towards the hallway. "And ask Hana what she wants," Kisame added quickly as they walked by him.

Kisame and Ren were quiet until the two boys had left. "Okay, Chibi-chan, what's going on?"

Ren blushed and shook her head while biting her lip. "I wanted to ask you what Itachi's relationship was with Konan." The words had squeaked out of her like a rubber ducky.

Kisame stared at her like she had grown a second head. "Konan? They were co-workers is all, for the most part. She and Itachi went out a year or so ago. They were too alike and it didn't last a month."

"She had some of his stuff. Sasuke has the box at home," Ren pointed out.

"Yeah because they were serious in that month. Itachi had been avoiding her as much as he could since he dumped her. She'd tried to get me to take his stuff a handful of times but, y'know, not my place to deal with his mess," Kisame told her with a shrug.

"Does she love him," Ren asked the real question that had been bouncing around in her mind.

"I think she thought she did at one point," he shrugged again, "But she and her childhood friend Nagato got married about six months ago so I think it's safe to assume that she doesn't."

"Why are you worried about it," Hana asked as she sat on the bed.

"It's stupid, right," Ren asked with a frown. "I just worry, I guess."

"You didn't steal Itachi away from her and there isn't any bad blood, if that's what you're worried about," Kisame informed her.

"Itachi loved ya. Don't go doubtin that," Hana scolded her.

Ren's blush grew even redder. "I'm trying my best not to," she murmured. "I miss him."

"We do too," Hana sighed; Kisame nodded.

"I think I want to donate to cancer research and the police force here and in Konoha," Ren told them weakly.

"I think ya need to worry about getting you and that baby settled into life before ya go donating to charities," Hana told her with a groan.

"You don't know how much money the Uchiha had hoarded," Ren countered. "I'd be fine. I've got a car now," her bottom lip trembled and she had to shake her head to speak again. "There's enough money to send my siblings, myself, the baby, your baby, and ten random kids off the street to college while still being able to buy a house and start a business."

"I think you may be over exaggerating," Kisame chuckled.

"That's just how it feels," Ren pouted. "My college will be paid for by my mom's settlement. I was going to use it for a car, a place to live, and travel back to Hi No Kuni but I don't really need that stuff now."

"Your dad is a marketing manager, right?"

"Yeah," Ren nodded to Hana.

"Then have him help ya budget. He's got a lot more life experience than you do. He's there, use him," Hana suggested.

Ren bit her lip before sighing. "I guess but we aren't really that close."

"No time to change that like the present," Kisame advised, "If you learn nothing else from Itachi, make sure you learn that. Life is too short to hold grudges."

"I know," Ren murmured. "Kisame-san? Can you get the books down from the top two shelves?" She was vertically challenged and couldn't reach up high enough; being short was not fun.

Kisame chuckled. "This is why you are Chibi-chan," he told her as he started pulling books down and handing them to her.


	49. RAV4

Ren was sitting at her desk reading through one of the books she had brought from Itachi's house when Konohamaru came running into her room. "Ren-nee, Ren-nee," he called to get her attention, "Come see what Sasuke did!"

"I'm coming," she told him as she put her bookmark in the book then closed it. "What did he do," she asked as he grabbed her hand and began dragging her through the house. Things had been weird with Sasuke since the memorial and she honestly couldn't predict _what_ Sasuke was going to do before he did it.

"You'll see," Konohamaru beamed up at her. Ren suddenly felt uneasy; Konohamaru seemed far too excited.

The moment the front door was open Ren realized the entire family was coming back in except Sasuke. She and Konohamaru had to step out of the way to let them all in; TenTen turned to her and grumbled, "Don't kill him."

"I think it's a wonderful thing," Jia chided before they disappeared into the kitchen. Hideki and Suigetsu walked by them shaking their heads.

Ren stared down at Konohamaru, "What is going on?"

"You'll see," he told her again with a nod. He pulled her out onto the front lawn, released her hand, and then struck a pose like a model showing off a prize on a game show. "Tada!"

Ren's eyes landed on a dark blue Toyota RAV4 parked in front of their house. "S-Sasuke? What is that," She asked as she stared at her step-brother with her mouth agape.

"It's his new car," Konohamaru exclaimed. "Now I can go with you guys everywhere!"

Ren turned her attention back to Konohamaru and forced a small smile. "Konohamaru, I already have a car, remember? I have my husband's Dodge," the words had been slow but they still hurt to say; she would trade the car and every other car on the planet to have Itachi back.

"I miss Itachi," Konohamaru frowned, "He made you smile a lot. Sasuke seemed happier too."

"I miss him too," Ren admitted as she pulled her brother into a tight hug. "Can you do me a big favor? I need to talk to Sasuke. Can you go see if Suigetsu will be your player two until I get back?"

"Okay but I get to pick the game," Konohamaru announced as he offered a toothy grin.

"I suppose that's fair," Ren chuckled, "Just don't pick one that will get us in trouble."

"Deal," he nodded and took off into the house.

Sasuke was leaning on the hood of the RAV4 staring at her when she turned her attention back to him. Awkwardly she wrapped her arms around her torso and approached him like he was a vicious predatory and she was a weak prey. "What's going on? How can you afford this," she asked him gently; her eyes remained on him.

"I make enough for payments. I traded the Ninja in as a downpayment," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You traded in your motorcycle for an SUV? Why?" Ren suddenly felt angry but she couldn't explain why.

"Because I'm going to need it once the baby gets here," he bit out as his eyes drifted down to her abdomen. The faintest hint of a baby bump had started to form; she decided she needed looser shirts.

"I have a car to get the baby where it needs to go," Ren told him with her brows furrowed. "You love the Ninja."

"It's just a bike. There may be times when you're unable to drive," he responded.

A growl escaped Ren's lips as he shrugged at her. "Then you would drive the Charger. Sasuke," she warned, "Take it back. Get your bike back. I have the car situation under control. What is going on with you?" She had stepped up chest to chest with him and glared. When Sasuke stood up straight and frowned down at her, Ren's glare lost some of its fierceness; he literally had at least a foot of height over her.

"It's not up to you. I don't need your permission to get a car. I've got it handled. This is what I chose to do," Sasuke snapped at her.

"Sasuke," she whimpered, "Please."

"What's really going on," he asked much softer than she expected him to.

Ren's bottom lip trembled and she moved to lean against the hood of the SUV. "I don't want you to change how you live your life because of me. You don't need to trade your bike in for a car. I don't need you to turn down hanging out with your friends because I'm home alone for a few hours. You do not have to put your life on hold because I'm pregnant. Live, Sasuke. That's what Itachi wanted you-"

Ren's words halted the moment Sasuke placed his hand on her cheek. With painful slowness, he brushed his thumb over her lips then up her cheek to wipe away tears she hadn't realized she had shed. "I am living my life," he told her gently, "This is what I want to do and has nothing to do with Itachi.."

"The hell it doesn't," she choked out.

"I want to take care of you for my own reasons," he muttered, "You're pretty helpless on your own."

"I am not helpless," she bit out, "I am perfectly capable of handling things on my own. You don't need to take care of me."

Sasuke sighed and pressed his forehead down against hers. "You idiot. Just accept my help."

"Stop trying to take care of me," she told him with a glare as she stepped away from him. "I'm going back inside."

"Don't you want to see the inside of the car?"

"No," she deadpanned before stepping towards the house. "It isn't staying so there's no point."

Sasuke grabbed her by the arm and sighed. "Take a drive with me," he requested.

"Why? I really don't want to," she protested.

"Because I really like this SUV and want you to like it too," he admitted.

"I told Konohamaru I'd play a game with him," she muttered as she turned to look at him; he released her arm. Ren hated to admit it but she could feel herself caving.

"Just a quick drive," he offered with a shrug.

"Fine," she grumbled, "but I'm not going to like it."

"We'll see," he told her with a smirk as he opened the passenger side door. "Do you like the color, at least? They call it Galactic Aqua Mica."

"It suits you," she admitted as she got in the car. The interior was black and seemed like every other vehicle she had been in that had come out in the last five years. There was a screen in the middle of the dash with Bluetooth capabilities and a lot of storage places. With her lip clamped between her teeth, she began examining each nook and cranny; it _would_ hold a lot of baby stuff if necessary.

As Sasuke slipped into the car he put the key in the ignition then buckled up before starting it. "You're going to want to fasten in quickly. It beeps if there's someone in the passenger seat and they aren't buckled," he informed her.

Ren nodded weakly and put her seatbelt on; it had glided out smoothly.

"It also has the LATCH system anchors so the baby will be secure," he mentioned as he pulled the SUV away from the curb.

"I'm kind of surprised you even know what the LATCH system is," Ren muttered under her breath. "It seems to ride smooth," she told him honestly.

"It's also got great gas mileage for being an SUV." His smirk was growing bigger by the second; if his ego got any bigger, it wouldn't fit in the car.

"Keep it if you want," she deflated as she slumped back in the seat, "I'm only saying that because you seem to like it a lot, not because I do."

"Whatever you say," he teased. "This also saves us from having to borrow Naruto's truck when we get furniture."

Ren's heart sunk as she stared out the window. She couldn't help but wonder if he had forgotten that he hadn't made this baby. Her eyes drifted down to her belly; Itachi should have been in Sasuke's place. With her eyes closed, she fought not to think about how her mother would act. With a soft sigh, she twirled her wedding band around her finger; her life felt like a train wreck. "Sasuke, you don't have to act like its father, you know."

"I know that," he grumbled, "I'm just trying to be a good uncle."

Ren nodded as she watched buildings go by. "You're already going above and beyond what any other uncle would do. You don't have to," she told him weakly. "Ino and Sakura have both been IM-ing me, by the way. They keep asking why you haven't texted them."

"Didn't Ino give her number to Sai too?"

"He hasn't texted her either," Ren muttered before a sigh escaped her lips. "You should have told them you weren't interested if you aren't."

"I did," he argued, "they just kept pushing and if you want to get technical, I didn't accept their numbers. They put them in my bag wrote on girly heart paper sometime when we were at the beach."

Ren bit her lip to keep from laughing; he had looked completely distressed. "That does sound more like you. More like them, too. They've always been determined when it came to Kiba too."

"Kiba?"

"The high school heartthrob," Ren clutched her hands over her heart, "He's the star of every sports team, a friend of all animals, hair as wild as his spirit, and eyes that capture the soul. He'd be a fantastic lover with all that stamina! If only he would notice me." She pretended to swoon and Sasuke groaned. She shrugged and tucked some of her hair behind both ears. "I never really saw the appeal. His dick was impressive though."

"Why have you seen his dick," Sasuke growled; thankfully they were at a red light so she had a second to calm him down.

"I didn't mean to," she defended even though she had said it to get under his skin, "He was drunk as hell and showed it on webcam. Everyone in the group saw it. I blocked him after; he's not my cup of tea."

Sasuke's shoulders relaxed and Ren watched him visibly loosen up. "Good. We don't need anyone like that around."

"Of course not," Ren told him sarcastically, "I have you around. Your ego is enough to deal with."

"I resent that," he grunted as the light turned green.

"It's true though. Everything always has to go your way or you get butthurt about it. I keep telling you I don't need you to take care of me but you have it set in your mind that everything is 'we' but it's not." Ren was panting by the time she had finished her rant.

"I'm just trying to help," he told her with a frown.

"I know and I'm so grateful for that but I want to make my own decisions." Ren was flustered as she tried to explain how she was feeling; it didn't seem to be coming out right.

"Then you shouldn't have married my brother. You shouldn't have had sex with him. The time of you making decisions alone is done and over," he growled as he pulled the car over.

Ren's heart clenched as she stared at Sasuke with wide eyes. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me," he stated flatly. "I'm stepping up into his shoes and you can't keep me from doing that. You're going to have to get over it. This isn't about what you want anymore, it's about what's best for that baby."

"I want to go home now," she told him with tears threatening to fall; she could feel his eyes on her abdomen even though she wasn't looking at him.

"You're going to hear me out," Sasuke informed her. "You don't get to be selfish anymore. You have to suck it up. We're a family and decisions are going to be made as one."

Ren frowned at Sasuke, unbuckled her seat belt, and pulled on the door handle; it didn't budge and the SUV started making an awful dinging noise. "Unlock the door," she demanded as she tried to open it again.

"What are you even doing?"

"I'm trying to get away from you but your stupid car has me locked in!"

"Ren," Sasuke called out to her as he grabbed her shoulder, "breathe."

"I can't," she shouted at him as she began rocking back and forth in the seat. "Let me out, Sasuke."

Sasuke quickly pressed the switch to unlock the car and Ren got out. She was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk as she muttered to herself; she couldn't catch her breath. He watched her closely for a few seconds then got out and pulled her into a tight hug. "You're safe. I'm sorry," he told her gently as she sobbed against his chest. "We'll go home," he promised, "I'll take you home."


	50. Heartbeat

Pale grey walls with pictures of sunsets, beaches, and sailboats littered the walls of Doctor Mata's exam room. Ren tried her best to focus on them but it was impossible with Sasuke sitting there. Since their argument she had surrendered and stopped fighting him about the baby; it was easier to let him play whatever role he wanted.

Sasuke's sigh as he stared at his phone drew her attention back to him. "This is taking forever," he complained.

"Well, we did get here late." Sasuke had been held up at school and he was her ride; she wasn't happy. "I told you, you could have waited in the waiting room for this part," Ren murmured.

"I'm stuck waiting for you either way. I told you I wouldn't look," Sasuke countered without taking his eyes from his phone.

Ren frowned as she stared down at the hospital gown; it and a sheet were the only things protecting her modesty. Her cheeks were aflame as her eyes drifted to her pile of neatly folded clothes that sat in the chair beside Sasuke. "F-fine," she sighed.

A knock on the door drew both their eyes to the room's entrance and Sasuke tucked his phone away as the doctor and a nurse came in. "Hello, Ren," Dr. Mata greeted, "Hello, Sasuke." Both teens exchanged greetings and he took a seat on the backless, rolling chair. "We're doing a pelvic and breast exam today. You gave a urine sample for testing already, so we're fine there. You will have to do so every time you come in. If drugs are found in your urine, we are obligated by law to report it to the police. You signed a waiver to allow that last time you were in, yes?"

Ren nodded. "I did," she murmured. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she listened to him speak; it would be a lot to remember if she could go off of the first portion of his speech.

"It's something we have to do with everyone so don't think I believe you use drugs. Typically," Dr. Mata's eyes drifted to Sasuke, "We don't allow other people in here for pelvic exams. I'm assuming you're the father?"

Ren opened her mouth to correct Dr. Mata but Sasuke was already nodding his head; she didn't know what was going through Sasuke's mind but he was going to get a piece of hers. A wildfire of rumors had already started at their school since both entered Junior year as Uchiha; Hideki had petitioned the court to allow Sasuke to revert to Uchiha at Sasuke's request. Rumors were going to ruin Ren's sanity at this rate.

Dr. Mata hummed as he turned to his nurse for a split second. Ren felt like they were judging them. "Alright, if we have Ren's permission you can stay."

Ren nodded weakly to him; the more she stared at Dr. Mata's greying black hair, dark brown eyes, and perfect teeth the more uneasy she felt. The man was older than her father, the wrinkles on his sun-kissed face showed that; he was intimidating to the five-foot one-inch, seventeen-year-old girl. Her eyes drifted to Sasuke as Dr. Mata listed all the cans and can not-s of pregnancy. He was listening to Dr. Mata's words too intently for Ren's liking; this was going to bite her in the butt, she just knew it.

The pelvic exam was painful and Ren kept looking at Sasuke to make sure he wasn't looking at her. How many different tests did they have to do? She felt highly uncomfortable the entire time and kept wondering if Dr. Mata was being rough with her on purpose. Ren was so glad to have that portion over with; for some reason, Dr. Mata thought that was a good time to run through the list of questions he had to ask about her home life.

"I'd like to schedule an ultrasound for next week," Dr. Mata said as he washed his hands at the sink. "We haven't done one yet and I want to make sure you're 14 weeks along. There's a possibility that we could tell gender, but it's really too soon to be sure. I'd like to check the baby's heartbeat before you leave. Go ahead and get dressed. A nurse will be in shortly to draw your blood and then I'll be back in."

"Thank you," Ren and Sasuke murmured at the same time. The moment the door closed Ren was hopping off the table and grabbing up her clothes to get dressed. As she pulled her panties out from between her pants and t-shirt her eyes met Sasuke's. "Stop looking," she begged as her cheeks tinted pink.

"You realize Dr. Mata kept looking at me, right? I couldn't see anything but it was like he expected me to watch or something," Sasuke grumbled.

"Please just look away," Ren groaned, "we can talk about it when we get out of here."

"Why do you think they did the pelvic exam first," he asked as he put his hand over his eyes.

Ren's shoulders slumped as she quickly made herself decent. "Because we were late? Because it's the worst part? I honestly don't know, Sasuke. I seriously was worried he wasn't even going to check for a heartbeat."

"If he didn't, there would have been no point in me coming," Sasuke hummed. A deep set frown formed on Ren's lips as she pulled her long raven ponytail free from the back of her black t-shirt. "I didn't mean it like that," he told her as their eyes met.

"I'm sure you didn't," she muttered coldly as she put the gown and sheet in the linen bin.

"I just meant that you could've brought TenTen or mom with you instead. You wouldn't have had to be so embarrassed," he tried to explain.

"Sasuke," Ren grumbled, "I would have been embarrassed no matter what, even if I was in here alone. Just," her words trailed off and she got back on the exam table with her frown still lingering, "I don't want to talk about this right now. You're the father, remember? You're supposed to be here for every appointment. You're supposed to be supportive and right there with me." Her words had been sarcastic.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "We'll talk about it when we get out of here."

After another nurse came in, drew seven tubes of blood, and left the two teens were left to their silence again. "Do you want to know the gender," Sasuke asked quietly.

"I'm not even sure," she responded with a shrug. "I guess that's something else to discuss in private."

"I'd like to know. Itachi would've wanted to know too."

"Sasuke," Ren had to swallow the lump forming in her throat, "Don't go there. He's gone. I have to decide what's best without his input now. Apparently, I have to accept yours, however." She was going to keep jabbing at him for saying he was the father for the rest of their lives.

"Yes you do," he smirked; it was painfully obvious that he was just trying to get under her skin at this point.

Dr. Mata and the original nurse came in with a small cream-colored bag and their stupid computer. "Alright, Miss Hyuga, I'll have you lay back now."

"Actually it's Uchiha now," Sasuke corrected.

"Ah, my apologies. We'll have that changed in your chart," he grumbled.

Ren laid back and prayed for Sasuke not to embarrass her any more than he had already done. Prayers went unanswered she decided when Sasuke got up from his chair and stood beside her head looking down at the doctor. She thought about telling him to sit down but bit her tongue the moment a quick heartbeat filled the room.

Tears began to flood Ren's eyes as the sound engulfed her. Sasuke had wrapped his hand around hers and was holding the back of her hand against his chest; his face was unreadable as he stared down at her belly.

"Hm," Dr. Mata hummed as he moved the device to the side slightly. The heartbeat seemed fainter and slightly slower. "You're 17?" Ren nodded. "You've not had an ultrasound yet?"

"No," she told him with her brows furrowed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," Dr. Mata told her with a quick shake of his head, "It's just that we seem to possibly have two heartbeats here." Ren's eyes widened as she stared up at Sasuke; he looked like someone had just punched him in the gut. "I don't want to say one way or another without an ultrasound. Do twins run in your family," he asked.

Ren was silent for a few moments as she listened to the quieter heartbeat. "My maternal grandmother was a twin. A handful of my cousins are twins," she murmured.

"Interesting." He turned to the nurse and asked, "Put in an order for the ultrasound for as soon as possible. We need to see what we're dealing with. Put a rush on her bloodwork too."

"Are twins a bad thing," Sasuke asked with his brows furrowed.

Dr. Mata shook his head and sighed as he turned the doppler off. "No, they aren't a bad thing. It just changes how much weight she needs to gain, restrictions, and how often we need to see her. Your age is also a factor, Ms. Uchiha."

Ren swallowed hard as Sasuke helped her sit up. "I didn't even think about it," she admitted weakly.

"Don't worry," the nurse told her with a smile, "We don't get to deliver twins often. It's always exciting when we do." Ren and Sasuke both nodded dumbly.

"You're free to go as soon as your ultrasound is scheduled," Dr. Mata informed them.

"I'll be back in with the details," the nurse promised as she and the doctor left the room.

"Sasuke," Ren groaned, "I think I'm going to puke."

"Don't," he ordered but it was too late; Ren got off the exam table and was puking in the waste bin.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren was still green when she got into Sasuke's RAV4. Her ultrasound was scheduled for the following afternoon; she hadn't even bothered trying to argue about having to leave school. Sasuke, on the other hand, had asked about school notes; once he was reassured there would be one for him too he seemed placated. "I can't believe this," Ren muttered for the second time since they had left the parking lot.

"I know," Sasuke murmured. "I can't believe you puked in the office three times."

"Ugh," she groaned, "It's so embarrassing."

"They said it happens sometimes," he told her with a shrug.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," she growled.

"You'll get over it," he smirked.

"You're such a jerk," she deadpanned, "Why would you tell them you are the father?"

"Do you think they'd let me stay if I told them I was the uncle? Did you want to explain the situation to them? I don't want to say 'My step-sister is pregnant with my biological brother who died a few weeks ago' to anyone."

"So 'I impregnated my step-sister' sounds better?" Ren was shaking her head the entire time.

"Yes, it does. It saves a lot of explaining," he shrugged.

"Everyone at school already thinks we got married. They think it's because I'm pregnant. You're making my life a living hell. Why couldn't you have just kept the Hyogo surname until you graduated?"

"Why do you care what they think," he asked quickly.

"Because," she began but the words halted. "I don't know," she deflated. "I just wanted to be under the radar this year. Your fangirls keep saying awful things when they think I can't hear them."

"Jealousy heightens negative personality traits," he stated, "There's a reason I refuse to date anyone anymore."

"I just thought you were asexual," Ren grumbled. "Why did you date Karin then?"

"Because she's cheer captain and Naruto's cousin. I didn't realize how crazy she is at first," he shrugged. "I guess I just resigned to my fate."

"I'm sure you'll find someone who's not crazy to fall for," Ren told him gently as her eyes drifted away from him and to the scenery, they were driving past. She missed Itachi; he had been her one and only soulmate, she knew it.

"I don't really care one way or another," he stated.

"Don't you want kids someday?"

"I already have one, possibly two, on the way, remember?"

Ren's face paled and she shook her head so hard she felt lightheaded. "No, you don't. You have a niece or nephew on the way. It's not funny, Sasuke."

"I'm not laughing. I'm trying to give the three or four of us a less complicated life. Do you want to tell your kid its dad died?"

Ren clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug into her palms. "I don't want to lie."

"Then tell them the truth but no one else needs to know anything."

"I feel like you're taking Itachi's request to take care of us in a completely different way than he meant it," Ren groaned.

"I know how he meant it, I just don't feel like it's enough."

Ren glared at Sasuke with her brows furrowed. "Not enough?"

"I mean that me watching over you guys is all well and good but they are going to grow up without a father if I don't step up into that role. Or worse, they'll have some creep you date acting as their father."

Ren's brows scrunched down even further as she glared at Sasuke. She wanted to punch him in his stupid, proud, thin nose! If he wasn't driving the car she may have. "I'm not going to date anyone," she snapped at him.

"Then I don't see what your problem is," he countered.

"You're so infuriating," she barked out.

"So are you," he deadpanned.

Ren tried her best to come up with something to say to him but her mind was racing too quickly to form any ideas. She growled lowly and crossed her arms over her chest. "I wonder what Hideki will say," she murmured; it was childish but it was all she could come up with.

"I'll get to him before you do," Sasuke promised with a smirk. "He's a man of reason. All I have to do is explain my reasoning."

"Your reasoning is insane! There isn't any logic to this," Ren grumbled.

"We'll see." Sasuke pulled into the driveway and put the SUV in park; Hideki's Mercedes was already in the garage.


	51. Ultrasound

As Ren sat in the office waiting for Sasuke to show up, she felt like her bladder was going to burst. Why they made someone who was pregnant drink so much water before an ultrasound, she would never know. They needed to leave the school soon or they would be late; Sasuke seemed to always make her late.

"Are you alright, Ms. Uchiha," Yakushi-sensei asked with his brows furrowed.

"I just have an ultrasound and they're making me hold my bladder," she explained as her cheeks turned dark pink. It was embarrassing that he had noticed her shifting around in discomfort.

"If you have enough control, you could relieve yourself slightly and then just drink water on your way," he explained. "They don't tell patients that the bladder can only hold about sixteen ounces."

"I had to drink thirty-two," Ren told him with a frown. "Why would they do that?"

"To make sure your bladder is really full enough to get a good view during the transabdominal portion of the ultrasound. They'll have you relieve yourself before they do the pelvic," he explained.

Ren's face paled and it took everything in her not to physically jump out of her chair and tell him to tell Sasuke she had gone alone. "They failed to mention that part," she murmured with her eyes staring down at her feet.

"How far along are you, anyway," he asked with a gentle smile.

"Fourteen weeks," Ren sighed, "How did you know?"

"You've got the signs. Your skin has a certain glow to it, you seem less tired now than you were during the first few weeks of school, you're showing slightly, and you came back as an Uchiha," he stated. "Throw that in with the fact both you and Sasuke are leaving school for your ultrasound and it's not hard to figure out."

Ren's cheeks grew hotter and hotter with each point he made. "It's not like I've been trying to hide it," she squeaked out.

"Ah, Sasuke," Yakushi-sensei turned his attention to the figure coming into the office. "Your wife is ready to go. She even filled out your portion of the sign-out sheet. All I need is your signature."

Ren's entire body stilled; even Yakushi-sensei thought they were married. She waited for Sasuke to correct him but instead, her step-brother/brother-in-law just signed his name and grabbed her bag as he stepped out of the office. "I'll see you later, Yakushi-Sensei," she told him with a bow before chasing after Sasuke.

Ren had to power walk to keep up with Sasuke's long strides and she was nearly out of breath by the time they got to the RAV4. "S-Sasuke," she panted as she tried to catch her breath, "You didn't correct him."

"Neither did you," Sasuke told her with a shrug. He already had his seatbelt on and was waiting for her. The moment she was in he added, "What the world thinks doesn't matter, anyway."

"Stop being such an idiot," Ren growled at him, "You're going to change your tune when you want to get married! Or when you find a girl you actually like at least! She's not going to want a thing to do with you because she's going to think you're married to me."

"Not happening," he stated flatly.

"Why not?" Ren's brows were furrowed and she couldn't fathom why he was acting this way at all.

"I refuse to date girls like Karin, Sakura, and Ino," he grumbled.

"They aren't all like that," she argued.

"Enough of them are," he countered.

"Sasuke," she groaned, "Don't ruin your life."

"I'm not. I know exactly what I'm doing," he stated.

"I'm going to start telling people you're my brother-in-law," she told him with a glare.

Sasuke was silent until they parked at the hospital. His glare made her heart clench; for the first time it actually bothered her that he was upset. "Then everyone is going to be hounding us both. Every guy is going to try to get with you now. You realize being pregnant at seventeen makes you look easy, right? This saves you from that and it saves me from having as many girls all over me all the time."

Ren said nothing to him as she got out of the SUV and slammed the door closed behind her. He was a complete asshole; she should have known he was using her for something selfish. He claimed guys would try to get with her but that hadn't happened at all; Ren was practically invisible after she dumped Deidara. It was all a stupid ruse to hide the fact if he was 'married' he was unavailable; he needed to man up and just tell the girls no.

As she walked into the hospital her shoulders slumped; he was already two feet behind her. Miserable was the word she would use to describe herself if anyone asked; between needing to pee and Sasuke she was ready to scream at the top of her lungs. It took everything in her not to growl her answers at the lady when she checked in; unfortunately she had to sit with Sasuke as she waited to be called back.

The silence was giving Ren too much time to think; even the tv did nothing to distract her from how angry she was. Her leg bounced up and down on the floor as she sat with her arms crossed and glared at the waiting room wall. Even it was pissing her off; why did they have to hang crappy art in here?

The moment they called Ren's name she was on her feet; Sasuke hadn't missed a beat either. When the double doors closed behind them the technician asked, "How are you two doing today?"

Ren bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying what she really felt. "We're fine," she murmured as they were lead to an ultrasound room. Ren followed the instructions she was given without looking at Sasuke; she knew he was sitting in a chair not too far from her. He annoyed her by answering a few of the questions the tech asked.

"Alright, let's get a look at that baby," she told them with a smile, "This is probably going to be cold, I'm sorry." Once whatever the gel-like substance was squeezed onto her lower abdomen, Ren wished the woman had taken a moment to warm it up. "I'll do some measurements of the boring stuff really quickly then I'll turn the screen for you two. Oh my, your bladder is really full."

Ren nodded but remained silent as she watched the woman type one-handed. Each time she moved the thing Ren felt like she was going to pee herself. She heard Sasuke chuckle so her eyes darted over to him; her eyes narrowed into the fiercest glare she could manage but Sasuke wasn't looking at her. Ren's attention fell back on the tech who had just turned the screen.

"There they are," the woman told them as she pointed to two small blobs on the screen. "Here's Baby A's head, its little bottom, Baby B's head, and little bottom. There's definitely twins in there. They're measuring right on track for fourteen weeks too."

Sasuke's hand was wrapped around Ren's in an instant as the two of them stared at the monitor in awe; Ren no longer cared that she had to pee. "They're so tiny," he muttered.

"They'll get bigger," the technician promised with a light laugh.

"Will we get to take home pictures," Sasuke asked breathlessly.

"Of course! I'll even send home a little DVD of them and their heart beats for you." The woman pressed a button on her keyboard and suddenly the room was filled with one heartbeat; upon moving the wand another replaced it.

"Th-thank you," Ren breathed out. It suddenly felt so real now. There was really a baby in there; there were two babies in there actually. For the first time since she had found out she was pregnant she realized the baby was a really real thing. It was the first time Ren had felt such an unconditional love for something other than her mother; she was going to be a mom and she was so glad she had decided to keep them.

"I'll let you empty your bladder then I'll do the pelvic exam, alright? The bathroom is just through there. You'll need to wrap the sheet at the foot of the bed around you and undress from the waist down," the tech told her as she pulled the wand away and wiped the goo from Ren's abdomen; the screen went blank and Ren had to hurry off the table before she could dwell on it.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ren flipped through all the ultrasound pictures on the whole way home. She was still amazed, scared, and so happy. A piece of Itachi was left behind and she would treasure them always; she didn't know how she was going to handle one baby let alone two but she was now more determined than ever to make it work.

She and Sasuke hadn't said anything to each other since before they had arrived at the hospital. Now that they were home they still weren't speaking; she wasn't even angry anymore but she wasn't going to be the one to break the silence. Unfortunately school was still in session for another hour so they were the only two home.

She had been in her room, setting up the pictures, all of five minutes when he came in and sat down on her bed. Ren pretended he wasn't there but shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably; she could feel his eyes on her as she pressed a pushpin through one of the photos into her corkboard.

"Look," Sasuke grumbled, "I know I'm being selfish, alright?" Ren's arms fell to her sides but she still refused to even glance at him. "I just don't know what else to do," he admitted. "I know they're Itachi's but they're the last piece of him I have. I wish I'd of known everything I do now years ago. Truth is I miss my brother. You're carrying part of him. I want to be part of that. I want to be as involved as I can be. Ren, I would marry you if that's what it took."

Ren closed her eyes as she listened to his explanation; she assumed it was the closest she would ever get to an apology from him. "I'm not keeping you or anyone else from them," she sighed gently. "Don't say such stupid things." Her attention went back to hanging up the pictures.

"It's not stupid," he defended; Ren could hear him getting off her bed but nearly jumped out of her skin when he wrapped his arms around her abdomen and rested his head atop hers. "I mean it."

"You just turned seventeen a month after I did," she deflated, "and we're siblings. Not to mention the fact that I don't think you understand the purpose of a marriage."

"Marriages aren't just about love, Ren, and there are many different kinds of it. We aren't related by blood."

"You're insane," she groaned as she turned to look at him.

"I agree," he nodded but kept his arms around her, "I want to be as involved as I can be. If that means everyone has to think they're mine, I'll gladly take every bit of backlash."

Ren's eyes were unfocused as she stared up at him; she couldn't understand his angle at all. "Sasuke," she whispered; she was afraid she would shatter him into a million pieces if she spoke any louder.

"Don't look at me like that," he murmured.

"L-like what," Ren asked as her cheeks tinted pink. To her knowledge, she wasn't looking at him any differently than ever. "Fine, be involved, but don't pretend we're married," she bit out.

"Then marry me," he stated.

"I don't love you. Someday you're going to fall in love with someone. Don't ruin that because I'm pregnant," she told him with her brows furrowed. He sighed heavily and the gust of it brushed against Ren's forehead. She didn't know what more to say to him.

He quickly pressed his lips against hers, pinning her between him and the wall. Ren's eyes were wide as she stared at his closed lids and tried to figure out what to think or feel. Her eyes drifted shut when he didn't pull away from her and she unintentionally wrapped her arms around his neck; he kissed her softer than she thought he was capable of.

Ren's cheeks were bright red when Sasuke finally pulled away; she hated to admit that he had gotten to her. Her eyes were half-lidded as she stared up at him. "I'm going to win you over," he promised as he released her.

Ren was silent as he walked out of her room; quickly she picked up the ultrasound pictures she hadn't realized she'd dropped. This wasn't how her life was supposed to go. She was supposed to graduate high school, then college, then work her butt off, marry someone she loved, and then start planning a family. Ren never imagined she would be a widow and pregnant at seventeen; she also never thought Sasuke would act how he was.

Ren pressed her fingers lightly against her lips and sighed; she could still feel the lingering sensation of his kiss. She didn't even think of him like that. She _liked_ Sai and Naruto but Sasuke just wasn't her type; he was too selfish for her liking. A frown formed on her lips as she shook her head to clear away the cobwebs Sasuke had left in his wake. She had to get her head together. Itachi had just died less than a month ago; romantic love was the last thing she cared to worry about.


	52. Power Outage

Strong winds blew half-frozen rain against the house as Ren sat on the couch alone; everyone but Konohamaru was away and he was doing his homework in the kitchen. She was reading a book about pregnancy but each gust of wind drew her attention; it was like mother nature was trying to blow the house down. With a frown, she closed her book and placed it on the coffee table. An ominous feeling had settled into the pit of her stomach; she wished everyone else was home already.

As Ren stood from the couch she groaned in agony; her back was killing her from sitting in the same place for too long. Ren had started taking online classes ever since her fifth month of pregnancy had hit. She was happy to be able to stay home and avoid the drama but she did miss seeing her friends.

Konohamaru looked extremely focused on his homework as Ren entered the kitchen. "How are you doing," she asked him gently.

"I hate reading," he grumbled, "Why do I have to write a stupid book report anyway?"

"I wish I had an answer you'd like," she told him as she sat down next to him at the table. "They want to make sure you read the book but think it's better to do it this way than to take a test? At least you get to read something interesting. Do you not like learning about the Titanic?"

"I wish I could just watch the movie," he sighed. "Ren-nee? How much longer until the babies get here? Udon says when his sister was born it took forever."

Ren smiled weakly at her little brother. "I've got a few more months before they get here. It'll be January or February. We'll have to wait and see."

"Why does it take so long," he asked with his brows furrowed.

Ren's smile faded and she bit her bottom lip. This felt like a conversation Jia or Hideki should be having with Konohamaru instead. "Well," she began carefully, "they have to grow for so long so that they're healthy. There's a lot of development while we're in our mom's womb. They have to be able to breathe, eat, and survive outside of me before they enter the world. Think of it like baking cookies. If you pull them out too soon they're ruined. Babies are kind of like that too. We want them to be healthy, right?"

"Definitely," he agreed with a nod, "They won't overbake will they? Those are even worse."

Ren couldn't help but laugh at Konohamaru's question. "No, they won't overbake. They'll come when they're ready."

"Do you think they'll look like me," he asked sweetly.

"They'll probably look like Itachi and me," she told him honestly.

"Do you still miss Itachi?"

The question had caught Ren off guard; she bit her lip and nodded. "I'm always going to miss him. He was very important to me."

"He was important to Sasuke, too, right?" Ren nodded weakly. "Is that why Sasuke's been following you around?"

Ren sighed softly. "That's the majority of it. He wants to be around the babies all the time." She wouldn't mention that Sasuke still hadn't given up on winning her over; the more he tried to romance her the worse she felt. Naruto had told her Sasuke never went after anyone.

"That makes sense," he told her with a nod. "I can't wait until they're old enough to play. Mr. Umino says that will take even longer than growing them. Why did he look so weird when I told him you're seventeen?"

Ren leaned against the table and propped her chin up on her palm. "Nowadays most people don't have babies until they're considered adults. That happens at eighteen. You're supposed to wait to have them until you're married and have your own house. Babies need a lot of things, so it's important to have enough money to support them. People usually wait until they're at least twenty-five."

"But you were married and sold your house. You also have a lot of money now," he argued with his brows furrowed.

"A lot of people look down on people who have kids too soon in life. Don't worry, Konohamaru. I'm going to prove to everyone that I haven't ruined my life." Ren nodded once and offered him a false smile.

"You should marry Mr. Umino next. He doesn't have a wife and likes kids," Konohamaru suggested.

Ren's cheeks turned pink as she blinked at her brother. "I doubt Umino-sensei would want to marry me. I'm kind of a pain to deal with," she teased as she reached over and began tickling him. Konohamaru squealed and squirmed until she stopped. "Finish up your homework, okay?"

"Fine," he grumbled.

Ren smiled at him and left him in peace; she had already finished her own school work for the weekend so she had absolutely nothing to do. With a soft sigh, she returned to the couch and sent a message to Sai asking how his day was going.

Sai replied right away asking if she needed company. A blush formed on her cheeks and she told him, " _Sure."_ Sai hadn't had time for her so she was happy when he said he was coming over. The weather wasn't perfect for it but she knew Sai was one of the most cautious drivers in Nagisa. Her attention fell back on the wind; it was really strong. " _Don't come over though. It's bad out."_ Her message had barely sent when the power went out.

"Ren-nee," Konohamaru called to her from the kitchen; he sounded terrified.

"I'm coming," she shouted back to him as she turned the flashlight portion of her phone on. The house was eerily quiet without any electronics running. When she was in the kitchen Konohamaru quickly wrapped his arms around her and held onto her tightly; he was shaking like a leaf. "It's okay, Konohamaru," she murmured gently as she wrapped her arm around him. "I have candles in my room. How about we go get them?"

"Okay," he gulped; he was looking around the house with his eyes wide. "It's hurricane season still," he informed her, "are we gonna be okay?"

"We're going to be just fine," she promised as she held his hand and lead him through the house to her bedroom. "We're just getting strong winds with the cold coming in from the ocean. Don't worry; we'd of been told if there was a hurricane. They form way out in the ocean so we would have received a warning."

Ren handed her phone to Konohamaru. "Can you hold this for me? I know there are candles in one of these drawers," she murmured as she began opening desk drawers. The phone in his trembling hands gave her an uneven amount of light but she managed to find the candles anyway; they were helpful when light bothered her due to a migraine. "Here we go. Do we have any board games?"

Konohamaru nodded as he handed the phone back to her. "They're in the linen closet by mom's room," he informed her wearily.

Their return to the living room was slower than Ren would have liked; Konohamaru was noticing everything and anything he deemed frightening in the dark. She decided she would set him up in the living room while she grabbed a game or two to keep him occupied; unfortunately, when she went to leave the room Konohamaru gripped her shirt. "I'll only be gone a moment," she chuckled, "Don't worry so much."

"Please don't leave me alone," he begged.

"Alright, come with me then. You can help me decide on a few games. With any luck, the power isn't going to stay out for too long." This was the first time she had experienced a power outage in Nagisa that had lasted more than five minutes; usually, the power only flickered during storms. Ren decided that the uneasiness she was feeling was just because Konohamaru was scared.

The moment they began setting their game up on the coffee table someone began pounding on the door. "Don't answer it, Ren-nee," Konohamaru begged as he wrapped his arms around her leg.

"Don't be silly," she scolded him as she took a step towards the door. Konohamaru refused to let go of her so she pulled him along with her. "Konohamaru, please let go of me. We're fine. Everything is fine." He still didn't release her. The knocking continued as she dragged him with her towards the door. "Who is it," she asked as soon as they were in the foyer.

"It's Sai."

Ren looked at Konohamaru and sighed. "See? It's Sai. We need to let him in," she told him. Konohamaru released her but he still seemed terrified. "Konbanwa," Ren greeted Sai as she opened the door. "I told you not to risk it."

"The power went out. I figured you were home alone and would probably be scared," he announced.

"Konohamaru is here with me," Ren chuckled as she took Sai's wet jacket from him and hung it on one of the coat hooks.

"Yeah," Konohamaru told him with his hands on his hips. "I can protect Ren-nee easy peasy!"

Ren stared blankly at Konohamaru as Sai chuckled. It would've been easy to embarrass her little brother by pointing out she had been protecting him but that wouldn't have been nice. "He sure can," Ren laughed out as she lad the two of them to the living room.

"I am relieved to hear that, Konohamaru," Sai told him with a forced smile, "Perhaps you would rather enjoy the game than worry about protecting your big sister?"

"I guess so," he replied skeptically as he stared at Sai.

"I'll go get you some dry clothes and a towel," Ren stated as she ducked down the hallway leaving Konohamaru with Sai. Honestly! She didn't need to be protected; the moment she got any alone time with Sai she was going to give him a piece of her mind. Once she was in the hallway she paused; which brother's clothes would fit Sai? Sasuke was probably the closest to his body type but Suigetsu would be less likely to get upset.

Then again… Sasuke had been trying to cater to her. With her mind made up Ren slipped into Sasuke's room and opened his closet; sweatpants were easy enough to find but the only shirts in there seemed to be dressy ones. With a frown, she approached his dresser and began pulling open drawers. The second drawer down, the one she opened was apparently socks and underwear; Ren's face was red as she closed the drawer and opened the one above it. Thankfully it was the drawer she needed; who put their underwear in the second drawer? That was a universal top drawer item, she thought.

Ren returned to the living room and told Sai, "They're Sasuke's so they should fit pretty well."

"He is a bit taller than me, but I'm sure they will. Thank you," he told her gently as a small smile formed on his lips. He turned his own flashlight app on and disappeared into the guest bathroom.

"Ren-nee," Konohamaru asked from the couch, "Do you think you'll marry Sai?"

Ren's face was beet red as she stared at her little brother in horror. "What is with you wanting me to get married?"

"The babies are supposed to have a dad, aren't they?"

Ren sunk down on the couch and sighed softly. "Dads aren't a necessary thing. I didn't know Hideki until I moved here, remember?"

"But you knew he was alive, right? And there was the possibility you would meet him?"

"Well yeah, I suppose so," Ren murmured as she scratched her cheek.

"They deserve a dad too," Konohamaru told her with a nod.

"Konohamaru," she groaned in exasperation. "Sometimes life just doesn't go how you planned. They'll be fine. They have me, you, Sasuke, Suigetsu, TenTen, Jia, and Hideki."

"Plus Naruto and Sai," Konohamaru added. "I guess they'll be okay. I wish they had Itachi though. It's nice having a dad."

As Ren stared at Konohamaru in the flickering candlelight her heart sank into her stomach. She missed Itachi more than she let anyone know and hearing that from Konohamaru hurt. As she thought about how she didn't have her own father, she chewed on her bottom lip. There were so many times she had wished he was there for her growing up.

Her brows furrowed as she realized he was there for her now. Hiashi-ojisama had been giving Hideki hell about her pregnancy, marriage, and just about everything she had done. Her father had informed Hiashi that any problems he had with Ren were to be taken up with him; he was standing as a shield between her and the entire Hyuga clan. "I wish they had him too," she whispered but her mind was no longer on the subject of the twins' father; she was more worried about her relationship with her own.

"Could Sai act like it? Or Sasuke? Do you think that'd be okay," Konohamaru asked innocently.

"Ren doesn't need anyone to act like their father," Sai chuckled as he came back in and sat beside her. "Someday, when she falls in love, they will have a step-father."

"Do you love anyone, Ren-nee?"

Ren blushed bright red and quickly shook her head. "I loved Itachi. I'm not ready to think about loving anyone else right now," she murmured.

"Not even Sasuke," Sai teased.

Suddenly Ren wished she hadn't confided in Sai about it. A lump formed in her throat and she shook her head. She would feel like she was just trying to replace Itachi if she were with Sasuke. Her eyes glazed over as she thought about it; maybe Sasuke was trying to replace Itachi with her and he didn't even realize it.

A small frown took over Ren's lips as she watched Konohamaru set up his game; she no longer wanted to play but she would do it for him. She was lost in her own thoughts as the game progressed and was making a lot of silly mistakes. Konohamaru didn't seem bothered by it but Sai kept looking at her in confusion.

Ren's phone buzzed and she quickly checked it. "Jia says they probably won't be home tonight. A travel ban had been put in place." Ren suddenly wished she and Konohamaru had decided to go with them so they weren't going to be home alone all night. Her eyes drifted to Sai. "I should probably let her know you're here," she murmured as she began typing her message out to Jia. The Hyogo family, except Konohamaru and Ren, had gone out of town to visit a few colleges.

"Ren-nee," Konohamaru whispered to her, "I'm scared."

"Don't worry, Konohamaru," she smiled gently at him, "Sai's here."

"That's right. If your mom allows it, I'll stay over tonight," Sai promised.

"Can I sleep with you and Sai," Konohamaru asked her.

"But Sai and I-"

"You and Ren can sleep in Ren's room and I'll sleep in yours," Sai offered, "It's just a few strides away." Ren stared at Sai in horror; honestly, the idea of sleeping with Konohamaru wasn't appealing. He tossed and turned a lot in his sleep. "Or perhaps we got both stay in your room with you until you fall asleep? You can keep a flashlight with you in case you get scared and you can wake me up."

Ren's entire body relaxed at the second suggestion. Jia texted her back saying Sai was to stay there and not to risk the roads.

"I don't want to be by myself," Konohamaru begged.

"I guess we can all bunk in TenTen's room. She still has a guest bed," she told Konohamaru gently. Worst case scenario was she waited until he was asleep and snuck into her bedroom. "But you have to be careful of the babies," Ren warned him.

"I'll try my best," he promised with a beaming grin. "I'm tired," he grumbled with a yawn.

"Well, let's get ready for bed then," Ren chuckled as she got to her feet; it was kind of embarrassing how awkward everything she did was now. Sai began cleaning up their game and Ren grabbed an actual flashlight that she had found.

By the time Konohamaru had changed into his pajamas, brushed his teeth, and was laying in TenTen's bed, Sai had already taken a few of the candles in from the living room and extinguished the rest. If Ren were honest with herself, she was a bit nervous about sleeping in the same room as Sai; she was worried she snored or something equally as unattractive. It was silly of her to even think about that but she did still like Sai; he was her best friend and she couldn't help but be attracted to him.

Ren adjusted the pillows she would need to sleep on the bed then tucked Konohamaru in. Sai sat on the opposite side of the bed talking to Konohamaru about Boruto until the younger boy fell asleep. Ren had been laying on the bed with her head propped up listening to their conversation.

She hated how her body was; now that she was pregnant any type of 'good with kids' drove her crazy. Hormones were proving to be her worst enemy. As she pressed her thighs together she wished Itachi were still alive; if he were she wouldn't have been imagining Sai out of Sasuke's clothes right now. Ren decided she was a terrible friend.

"You've been staring at me," Sai told her with confusion lacing his voice.

"I'm sorry," Ren murmured as she sat up in bed, "I'm going to go put my own pajamas on now."

"Ren-chan," Sai whispered her name, "Why do you keep doing that?"

"D-doing what," she murmured as she stood in the doorway staring at him in the dimly lit room.

"Staring," he explained. "I've asked Kentin and tried to read books about it but you've been doing that for a while now and there are no definite answers. I can't read you."

Ren's heart rate sped up as she looked directly into his inky black eyes; he didn't look away from her for even a second. There were two routes she could go with this but both felt like a bad idea. "What did Kentin tell you," she asked quietly.

"That you find me strange. Most women who stare at me do," he murmured.

"That's not it at all," she sighed as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Look, Sai," she began as she rubbed her fingers around the neckline of her t-shirt, "Let me think about how I want to answer your question, please? It's not something I can just say without thinking."

"Why not," he asked with his brows furrowed.

"Because if I do, I may say it wrong," she tried to explain. "I'll get dressed for bed then I'll come back and answer it, okay?"

"I will wait right here," he told her with a nod.

Ren offered him a false smile as she nodded in return. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she promised as she left the room. It was hard for her to even understand herself. She had found him attractive ever since they clicked at the pizza parlor but she had loved Itachi. Guilt pooled in her stomach as she stared at the growing baby bump; Sai didn't deserve to be dragged into this mess.

When Ren returned Sai was shirtless laying on the bed that used to be hers. Her cheeks were red as she stared at his bare abs; the shadows of the candlelight playing off his body made it hard for her to think straight. Awkwardly she sat on the bed beside him with her back as straight as a board. "I don't want to involve you in the chaos of my life any more than you already are," she admitted weakly as she forced herself to look away.

"I'm in your life because I wish to be," Sai told her gently, "I have no problem with how your life is. What does this have to do with my question?"

Ren took a deep breath and turned to look at him; he had his hands behind his head and looked as comfortable as she had ever seen him. "I," her words died in her throat as the heat rose all the way to her forehead. Shikamaru had been easy to express how she felt too; Itachi had taken the lead. Sai was completely clueless about people and emotions. The lump in her throat made it impossible to speak.

"What is it," Sai asked as he sat up; his brows were furrowed and his thin, pale lips were bowed down into a frown.

"I stare because I think about you a lot," she squeaked but he just seemed more confused. "I am attracted to you Sai but I'm trying to be a good friend and I'm trying to keep from ruining our friendship because I don't want you to stop being my friend. I want to be able to be your friend no matter how I feel for you and I know that even saying this is risking that. I'm sorry."

Sai was silent as his face returned to a neutral expression; she could tell he was thinking hard and her heart hammered in her chest. She had rushed through every word and honestly hoped he hadn't caught them all but she knew by the look on his face he had. Sai was trying to figure out the best way to approach the situation and Ren wished she hadn't allowed there to be a situation.

"As in romantic attraction," he asked flatly; his eyes were unfocused as he stared at her. She could see the gears turning in his mind when she nodded. "But you love Itachi," he stated.

"I do," Ren murmured, "but that doesn't stop me from being attracted to you. I was actually really sad when Ino was flirting with you. That's why I had left at all. I don't think Itachi and I would have connected like we did if it weren't for that day. I hope we would have but, I just don't know." The pain of admitting that had hurt more than she expected it to. Would Itachi have kissed her, ever, if she hadn't been trying to comfort him that day?

"Ren-chan," Sai sighed as he pulled her into a hug. "I do not think it is wise for you to be attracted to anyone right now. You are still grieving."

Ren's body went limp against him and she nodded against his bare chest. Those words had hurt her more than she ever could have prepared herself for. The lump in her throat returned and it took everything she had not to cry. "You're right," she told him weakly. "Thank you, Sai."

"I think you need to rest, you sound tired," he told her with a false smile.

Ren nodded again and pulled away from him. "Goodnight, Sai," she murmured as she climbed into bed beside Konohamaru. Tears began to soak TenTen's pillow as she cried silently to herself; Sai had just broken her already shattered heart.


	53. It'd Be Fun, She Said

Ren's confidence had been shot to hell after Sai's rejection of her and things between the two of them felt different; she knew Sai didn't understand and that he wasn't acting different but she was. Ren had been avoiding practically any socialization under the pretense of trying to finish high school before the twins arrived. Hideki had been pleased with her decision but she could feel that Jia saw right through her.

Either way, Ren realized that there was no possible way she was going to finish every class in half a year. Suigetsu had been hounding her to relax and chill out for the past month but Ren constantly felt in over her head. How was she supposed to relax when her entire future depended on going to school; she refused to be dead weight for Neji to carry with him if he agreed to start a company. Truth be told, she really missed Neji.

The only good thing that had happened was Sasuke finally backing off and realizing what he was doing. Everyone outside their home still believed they were married but at least Sasuke had stopped trying to win her heart. "Then what is your problem," Temari asked with her brows furrowed. "Sasuke's given up on his pursuit. That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Y-yes," Ren murmured as she folded a yellow onesie and stuffed it in one of the dresser drawers she had dedicated to the twins. "But it makes me sad too," she groaned. "I don't know what's wrong with me. "I confessed to Sai I was attracted to him, told Naruto I loved him and that went way over his head, and now I'm upset because Sasuke's finally giving me space to breathe."

TenTen shook her head as Temari sighed. The three of them were in Ren's room because Ren had this insatiable urge to prepare for the twins. Her doctor had called it 'nesting' but Ren called it 'annoying'. She spent every free moment wanting to clean or assemble furniture or make sure the car seats were fitted properly in her car. The seventeen-year-old mom-to-be was driving herself and everyone around her crazy.

"Maybe you just got used to the attention," TenTen suggested.

"Or maybe you really like him," Temari chuckled.

"I think it's because he reminds me of Itachi," Ren murmured as she placed a pale green onesie on her belly to fold it.

"Can't he remind you of Itachi and you still like him as a person," Temari asked with her brows furrowed.

"I think you just need to keep away from guys for a while," TenTen chimed in.

"I've been avoiding them," Ren groaned as she turned to stare at her friends, "It's not even them. It's me. I keep thinking about Sai and how much that hurt. I keep missing Itachi. I'm tired all the time and I just keep thinking about how lonely I feel. The worst part? I feel lonely no matter who I'm around."

TenTen and Temari both blinked at her outburst. "Whoa, easy there, mama. If it's that big a deal why don't you try to figure out how you feel about whoever and just go for it," Temari suggested.

"Because Sai isn't interested," Ren murmured as he shoulders slumped, "If he's not interested why would anyone else be? And Naruto's been texting Ino a lot anyway. I think they are going to get together or something. I'm not beautiful and outgoing like Ino. I'm not expressive and exotic like Sakura. I don't have your great figures. I'm like a ragdoll amongst porcelain dolls. You two are so beautiful and perfect and fun. I'm not."

"Oh Ren," TenTen sighed, "We aren't that great."

"Can you tell that to Sasori and Kankuro?" Ren bit the inside of her cheek; she hadn't meant to go there. Sasori and Temari were dating because her father was pushing it. Kankuro had asked TenTen out all on his own though.

A frown formed on Temari's lips. "Sasori thinks anything with a vagina is sexy," she shrugged. "It's not like it's a serious thing anyway."

"And Kankuro's the only guy who's ever really asked me out," TenTen defended.

"You two obviously don't pay attention to what the guys say when they think we aren't paying attention. I'm just saying that you two are fantastic and I'm… fat."

"You're pregnant," TenTen deadpanned.

"With twins," Temari added, "I think we'd be worried if you weren't fat right now." Ren deflated as she sunk into her desk chair. "Why don't you just hook up with Sasuke? It'd be fun. Maybe getting laid would make you feel better."

Ren's cheeks turned dark pink as she stared at Temari in horror. "I don't want to get laid!"

"Shhh," TenTen warned as she tried to suppress her giggles. "You're going to make someone come running in here yelling like that."

"Think about it," Temari continued, "If you get the D you won't be so stressed out. It's perfectly healthy. Sasuke's right there, down the hall."

"So is Suigetsu," Ren groaned, "I refuse."

"Yeah, there's a reason she didn't say Suigetsu," TenTen sighed, "He's started dating Karin. How the hell they even work is beyond me but they're cute together."

"I think bickering is just how they express their love," Temari shrugged.

Ren got to her feet in a hurry and clenched her fists. "Even Suigetsu?" She felt like the world no longer made sense. He was always too busy to really go on dates and didn't seem interested in any form of commitment; he could flirt left, right, and center but he wasn't one to take anything further than that.

"Even Suigetsu," Temari teased. "Maybe you should try to woo Naruto into bed instead?"

"Naruto's really into Ino," Ren grumbled as she raked her fingers through her long hair. "I can't ruin Naruto's chance to be happy."

"You really do love him, huh," TenTen asked in awe.

"Do you blame me? He's bright and bubbly and no matter what he always takes care of me. He's sweet and wouldn't change who I am even when I would. He's a great listener and fun to be around," Ren sighed, "I'm in over my head."

"Maybe you should try to tell him how you feel," Temari offered, "This time be clearer about it."

"She was," TenTen winced, "It was really bad. He's either really stupid or doesn't feel the same way."

Ren frowned as she went back to folding baby clothes. "I imagine Hinata would feel as miserable as I do if she confessed to him too."

"I forgot that Hinata was crushing on him," TenTen chuckled, "She's a sweet girl but I don't think she could handle all that energy. He'd drive her insane for sure. He'd probably drive you insane too, for that matter."

"Yeah," Ren agreed with another sigh. "I think I'm just meant to be romantically alone."

"You still have college and your career ahead of you," Temari shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about being forever alone until you're like thirty. Have fun for now though."

Ren nodded weakly but the gears were already turning in her mind. Temari had planted a seed in her mind that led her to thinking about things she shouldn't have been thinking about. Sasuke did love her babies; maybe she could love him too? With her lip clenched between her teeth, she had made up her mind. Uchiha Ren was going to romance Uchiha Sasuke; she just hoped he still wanted her to fall for him.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

" _Why don't you just hook up with Sasuke,"_ Temari had said. " _It'd be fun_ ," she said. As Ren stared at Sasuke sitting on the couch in the living room she decided Temari was wrong. For the past few weeks Ren had been trying to get Sasuke alone so she could talk to him but now that he was right there she was getting cold feet.

It wasn't like she was actually trying to get in his pants but she did want to tell him how she was feeling. Maybe he could offer better advice than TenTen and Temari had done. Ren traced her lips lightly with her fingertips; Sasuke had been a good kisser. If she were under him would he have kissed her breathless? Quickly she shook her head to remove the thought. When had she even started thinking about him like that?

Ren swallowed the lump forming in her throat hard as she forced herself to sit next to Sasuke; this felt like the worst idea she had ever had. Wasn't she happy when he decided to quit trying to win her heart? Why was she sitting here trying to figure out how to win his?

"Your face is red," Sasuke pointed out as he stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"I'm just hot," she squeaked as she looked away from him; she was already beyond embarrassed.

"It's sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit in here," he stated as he lifted his eyebrows to call bullshit on her response.

"Okay," she groaned, "I'm just embarrassed." The admission did absolutely nothing to make her feel better. Ren tucked her feet under her bottom and sighed softly. "Why did you stop flirting with me," she asked without thinking it through.

"Because you kept freezing up on me. I decided I was done making you uncomfortable," he replied with a shrug.

"O-oh," she murmured. It probably had been like trying to flirt with a wall, honestly. Her cheeks darkened. "I wish you hadn't stopped," she whispered without looking at him. If her eyes met his, she was afraid of what she'd have seen in them.

"Why is that," he asked flatly.

"I miss it," she admitted with a wry smile. She tried to take a deep breath but it was staggered as he body trembled.

"I was doing what you told me to," he reminded her, "You asked me to cut it out."

"I-I know," she agreed. "Sasuke, I," her words halted because she had turned to stare at him. The sentence shriveled up with her tongue and remained unfinished as she stared into his ebony eyes.

"You want me to waste my time so that you feel better about yourself," he asked.

"N-no," she quickly shook her head with her dark eyebrows furrowed. "I meant that I enjoyed it because you're you."

"No," he grumbled, "It's because I'm Itachi's brother." Sasuke got off the couch and left her sitting there with her mouth open in shock.

Ren decided at that moment that he was nothing like Itachi. She quickly closed her mouth and grabbed her shoes from the foyer; there was no way in hell she was staying in the same house alone with Sasuke. She was going to go give Temari a piece of her mind!

With her purse in hand, Ren rushed to Itachi's red Dodge Charger and got in. She was so mad and frustrated with everything going on in her life that she just had to get away from there for a while. As Ren drove, tears finally began to fall. She needed her mother!

It hadn't taken Ren long to get to the Sabaku Corp headquarters but Ren stayed in the car for a long while. She couldn't have her mother but her father was right there. Would he understand what she was feeling? Did she even want to tell him?

With a quick shake of her head, she wiped the tears from her eyes and got out of the car. She wasn't going to tell Hideki that she was romantically lonely, but she was going to tell him that she missed her mother and Itachi. She was going to cry on her daddy like she had wanted to do for so many years.


	54. Otousan

As Ren stepped into the lobby of the Sabaku Corp she felt shockingly underwhelmed; it was modern but seemed so empty and uninviting. The Hyuga's command center had a traditional charm to it despite it being a newer building but the Sabaku's looked very industrial. There were no Zen gardens and fountains, bamboo and flowers, or uncomfortable stone benches in this building. It had mundane sculptures and fake plants.

With a gulp, Ren tightened her hold on the strap of her purse and approached what seemed to be the information desk. A man with dark brown hair and eyes stared at her with his dark brows furrowed. "Can I help you," he asked kindly.

"I need to see Hideki Hyogo. I'm not sure where his office is," she responded weakly.

"Mr. Hyogo is currently in a meeting," the man informed her with a forced smile, "Is he expecting you?"

"N-no," Ren told him as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but if he's not expecting you, you'll have to wait until after his meeting to be granted permission onto that floor."

Ren opened her mouth to agree to those terms but she suddenly didn't feel agreeable. With a small huff, she straightened her back and glared down at the man. "I have no desire to cause issues but the matter is urgent."

The man repeated his previous statement and Ren nearly growled in frustration. She didn't understand why this was how things were going; all she wanted was to see her father. A deep voice behind her made her nearly jump out of her skin. "She is Ren Uchiha, his daughter, and therefore welcome on the twelfth floor," the voice said, "I will take her."

Ren turned around quickly to see Temari's youngest brother standing there with his arms crossed. He wore a completely black suit that contrasted against his fair skin and bright red hair; the dark markings around his eyes made his seafoam pools seem infinitely brighter. "Th-thank you," Ren stuttered as she followed closely behind Gaara. It wasn't until Gaara had spoken that she realized she hasn't mentioned she was Hideki's daughter.

"I'm assuming you are not here to cause strife," he murmured as he stepped into the elevator.

"No," Ren quickly shook her head as she stood on the opposite wall. "I just needed to talk to my dad." The explanation sounded ridiculous, even to her. "My whole life I wanted him around," she muttered, "I've decided it's time I start letting him be."

"That's good to hear," Gaara told her flatly with a nod even though it made no difference to him. "He is one of the few people my father trusts completely. You can rely on him."

Ren nodded and bit the inside of her cheek; it was awkward riding up the elevator with someone she'd barely met. To her knowledge, she had never really even had a conversation with Gaara. Her eyes drifted to him; he seemed completely unfazed by her silence. "Gaara?"

"What is it," he asked lowly as someone new stepped into the elevator.

Ren remained silent until the woman got off. "I really appreciate what you said about my father. I'll take it to heart," she smiled weakly; it was the stupidest thing she could have said but she was grasping at straws so that she didn't have to stand in complete silence. Unfortunately, Gaara only nodded.

"Are you interning here," she asked as another attempt to start a conversation. A man had gotten on and off the elevator.

"Yes, I will be working my way up to the CEO position as quickly as possible. Father is not as young as he once was," Gaara explained once they were alone again.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ren murmured awkwardly.

"You are not due until the beginning of the year," Gaara stated; it hadn't been a question but Ren nodded anyway. "Are you struggling with it?"

Ren's brows furrowed as she gaped at Gaara; it had been the weirdest question she ever imagined he would ask. "I'm not sure how to answer that," she laughed nervously; quickly she said a silent prayer begging for no one else to want on this elevator while Gaara was talking about her pregnancy.

"Temari has said you are struggling," Gaara explained.

"She said that?"

"Yes. You are finding it difficult to keep your emotions under control and the lack of companionship is making your irritable," he told her.

Ren's cheeks tinted bright red as she looked away from Gaara. "I can't believe she said that," she grumbled under her breath.

"It is normal, in your situation. If you ever need anyone to speak with that won't tell you to seduce your step-brother," Gaara offered her his card.

"Thank you," Ren squeaked out as she took it. The elevator stopped and Gaara got off; she followed suit. She had wanted to tell him that she had no luck hanging out with the opposite gender but she refrained from doing so. It had been decided in the car that she would stop being around guys as a whole.

Gaara pressed his employee ID against a lock beside one of the doors at the same time he twisted the door handle. "Here's his office," Gaara told her as he stared at his watch. "He may be a while. Do you need company?"

"No, thank you, Gaara," Ren told him with a small smile as she took a seat on a leather couch facing the desk.

"No problem," he told her with a nod before leaving her alone.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

The quiet rustling of papers and a hushed voice was what caused Ren's eyes to open quickly. She had laid down on the couch to get more comfortable as she waited for Hideki but there had only been so many videos she could watch on her phone before boredom took over. Ren had fallen asleep waiting for her father to get done with his meeting; dread sat in as she realized he was talking to someone on the phone.

Hideki's black eyes met her thistle-white ones and his words halted. Quickly he covered the receiver of the phone and told her, "Just give me a few minutes."

She nodded quickly as she sat up; a blanket had been placed over her. With a hidden smile, Ren folded the blanket and placed it on the arm of the couch. At least this way she knew her father had noticed she was there. With a silent yawn, she stretched her arms above her head before wiping the grit from her eyes.

"You've been asleep for a few hours," Hideki told her after he had hung up the phone. Gracefully he joined her on the couch. "Are you feeling alright?"

Ren bit her lip and nodded as she stared at him. "I was just really upset. I keep thinking about how Itachi's gone and they won't know him." She frowned as she rubbed her swollen baby bump. "I also realized that I'm really lucky you're still around. There are a lot of times I miss mom," she admitted as tears began to form in her eyes again, "But that's no reason to throw a wall up around you, right? You're my dad and I want to be able to rely on you now."

Hideki's hands had been folded neatly on his lap as he listened to her speak but his face remained blank. "I apologize for not doing more for you when you were a child. I missed you and your mother dearly," he told her gently, "I would like for you to be able to rely on me."

Ren wasn't in control of her body as she threw her arms around her father happily; it was something she had always wanted to do and now she had finally done it on instinct alone. He chuckled and patted her back as he held her tightly against his chest. For a moment Ren wasn't seventeen getting ready to start a family of her own; Ren was the six-year-old girl who wanted her daddy to take her to the Daddy-Daughter dance at school.

Ren cried quietly against his shoulder and told him, "I'm so sorry I'm so much trouble."

"You're my daughter," he teased lowly as he stroked her hair. "If you weren't trouble I wouldn't believe we were blood. You have my Will of Fire burning brightly in you; I saw it first hand the day you told me off."

Ren's cheeks turned pink until she realized he was laughing. "You deserved it," she told him with a light laugh of her own.

"I will not deny that," he agreed. "What did Sasuke do this time?" This time Ren really did blush as she stared at him in horror. "A father pays attention to his daughters," Hideki explained.

"He's just hot and cold, I guess," Ren sighed. "I don't know how to get along with him for more than a few weeks at a time. He's always so demanding but when I try to explain how I feel he twists my words and makes me feel like a terrible person." Ren's shoulders slumped as she explained, vaguely, her problem with Sasuke.

"That's the Uchiha in him," Hideki sighed. "They were a very proud clan, much like the Hyuga. The difference was that they got the idea in their head that they were being slighted just because they were enemies of the Senju. The truth of the matter is that the Uchiha just couldn't keep up with the rapid growth. They were unable to compete with the Hyuga and Senju Corporations.

"They were a clan filled with people who feel emotions so deeply that it's almost otherworldly. When Sasuke gets upset, I see it. Pain and Uchiha run hand in hand. Unfortunately, his way of coping is with anger."

Ren's brows furrowed as she listened. "So he's not really mad at me? He's hurt?"

"Yes," Hideki told her with a nod.

"Then he shouldn't be so mean," Ren grumbled.

"I believe I know someone else who can be quite mean when she wants to be. I do believe you've been ignoring Naruto and Sai. I also heard that Gaara offered to keep you company," Hideki murmured with his eyes locked on hers.

Ren instantly deflated. "I'm not really in a mental or emotional state to be around guys my age right now. I'm trying not to make any more mistakes. My heart can't take any more pain right now," she pouted.

"I will agree with that decision because I'm your father. However, I realize mistakes and dating are part of growing up. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. It matters what you do with the knowledge you've gained from it," he told her with a chuckle.

"I'll do my best," she promised.

"I'm proud of you for how hard you've been working to finish high school," he remarked.

"Thank you." Ren had felt like she was in way over her head with it. "I don't think I'm going to finish in time."

"I have complete faith that you will. If you do not, it doesn't matter. You're determined to make something of your life and I do not foresee that changing. You will finish high school, go and finish college, then have whatever career you wish for." Hideki had been smiling weakly when he spoke and it made Ren's heart feel lighter to know he had so much faith in her.

"I guess I just feel like my life isn't going how I planned," she admitted, "I'm feeling the pressure."

"We're there to help you through it. You'll be just fine," he reassured her.

"Thank you," Ren whispered in awe. It was the first time she had ever heard encouragement from Hyogo Hideki and she hated to admit how happy it made her.

"I should get back to work," he sighed, "I'll be home late. Production isn't going as smoothly as we had hoped."

"Okay, Otousan," she murmured as she stood up. "I'll see you when you get home."

Hideki froze as she spoke then a bright smile formed on his lips. "Drive carefully, Musume."

"I will," Ren smile happily as she walked out of his office. "Ja," she called to him before closing the door.

This had to be the stupidest thing to be happy about but it was also the best. For the first time in Ren's life, she actually felt like she had her father. With a light heart, she pressed the call button on the elevator and hummed happily to the babies inside her. The song died in her throat when she saw Raza Sabaku standing there. Quickly, before she could change her mind, she got in and stood as far away from him as possible.

"Going to the lobby, Ren-chan," he asked flatly. When she nodded he pressed the button for the ground floor and tucked his hands back into the pockets of his dark grey suit. Raza's hair wasn't as vibrant as Gaara's but Ren could imagine it had been at one time. The worry lines around his mouth and eyes made him look even older than Hiashi-ojisan. "You have my condolences. It is devastating to lose a spouse."

"Thank you," Ren murmured as she turned her attention away from him.

"I lost my wife when she was giving birth to Gaara. Children make it easier to accept but the pain remains, always," he continued.

"I'm sorry you lost her," Ren told him sincerely. "I wish I knew what to say to make the pain lessen for you."

"There is no such thing. We just learn to live with that pain," Raza responded with a forced smile. "Hang in there, Ren-chan. And congratulations on your baby."

"Thank you," she muttered with her cheeks dusted pink; thankfully the ride down had been interrupted by people coming on and off of the elevator. "I wish you well, Sabaku-sama," she declared with a small bow and a forced smile as she hurried off the elevator. The doors closed before he had the chance to say anything more to her. With a sigh of relief, Ren straightened her back and left the Sabaku Corporation's headquarters.

* * *

 **Ren Note** : I hope you all are doing well! I'm writing this fast as I can. I may have to go back through chapters and correct spelling/grammatical errors at a later date. Thank you for reading.


	55. Lamaze Mastery

The moment Ren walked into Childbirthing Class with Kisame and Hana she regretted agreeing to this. " _It'll help you feel empowered and in control of yourself during labor,"_ Hana had promised; Ren figured the truth was that Hana was just trying to help her and include her. They were friends, Ren could say that without doubt, but Hana was far more outgoing and abrasive than Ren.

As Ren looked around the room at pregnant women and their spouses Ren's heart clenched; there weren't even any pairs that consisted of two women. As soon as she sat down on a mat beside Hana she instantly regretted it. "How am I supposed to get back up," Ren groaned quietly to Hana.

"I'll pick you up, Chibi-chan," Kisame chuckled. "Just pay attention when class starts."

Ren's eyes fell to her hands as she rested them on her belly. This seriously wasn't how she had wanted her first pregnancy to go. She wondered if Itachi had known how depressed doing things like this would make her. With a frown she twirled the wedding band around her swollen left ring finger and tried to convince herself that he hadn't thought it through this far; he certainly hadn't predicted she would be pregnant with twins.

She glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall with her brows furrowed; Sasuke should have been there by now if he were coming. He had been avoiding her since their argument and she didn't know how to approach him let alone express how she felt. Itachi and Sasuke were completely different people; she wasn't sure how to make him see that she knew that. Honestly, she wasn't even sure when she had started wanting him to see that. With a deep set frown, she shook her head to clear her mind; she needed to focus on this class instead of her feelings for her step-brother/brother-in-law.

The instructor started with a small introduction then wanted everyone to introduce themselves and share their hopes for delivery. Ren had listened to every couple share their ideas, some of which sounded crazy, until it was finally her turn. "I'm Ren Uchiha," she introduced herself nervously, "I'm pregnant with twins. I'd like to go through labor without medication. That's as far as I've planned it."

"Ren," the instructor addressed her in a soothing voice, "Will you have a birthing partner? It's best if he's here to learn with you."

Ren opened her mouth to answer but she had no idea how to so she quickly pursed her lips together in a frown. Kisame placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze for comfort and Hana held her hand. "Y-yes, ma'am," she murmured but there was a lump forming in her throat making it impossible to speak further.

"He'll be here," Hana stated.

The instructor nodded and carried on to the next couple but Ren was no longer paying attention. Her cheeks were tinted pink with embarrassment and sorrow had seeped its way into her heart. Sasuke was going to leave her to do this alone; she wished she had asked Sai, Naruto, or even TenTen to come with her. For the most part, all of these couples seemed so happy but she was here alone; it felt like this was just a reality check for how things were going to be.

Thankfully introductions ended and a video began; it was kind of weird watching some monotone voice narrate fetal development and the onset of labor. With her lip clamped between her teeth, Ren wondered if all of this information even involved her; she would be lucky to make it to thirty-six weeks pregnant before giving birth.

The more she watched the videos the more alone she felt. A lot of the techniques involved partner assistance and Ren wasn't sure she was going to have a partner. How was she supposed to do this? She couldn't rub her own back or squeeze her own hands. Was some unlucky nurse going to have to cater to her? With a small frown, Ren realized it wasn't a nurses job to do that.

When they started discussing how labor progressed and how to keep track of contractions, Ren was ready to walk out. A dark little rain cloud formed over her and was soaking her in angst. A couple started arguing about who was going to be responsible for what during early labor and Ren took that as her cue to carefully crawl towards the door; she would worry about standing once she was on the other side of it.

Ren made it to the door without anyone noticing but someone was coming in as she was getting ready to go out. Anxiety was making her crazy; this had to look crazy. Slowly her eyes slid up to the face of the person standing in her way. "What are you doing," Sasuke asked with a sigh.

"Escaping if you weren't in the way," She grumbled as he helped her to her feet. Suddenly the entire class was staring at them; apparently, the couple had sorted out their argument. Ren's cheeks turned bright red as she attempted to hide behind Sasuke; unfortunately, she was the only one who had gained weight with this pregnancy so it was a lost cause.

"You must be Mr. Uchiha," the instructor chuckled. "Ren, why don't you bring him over here so he can join us?" It was asked like a suggestion but the tone made it sound mandatory.

With her head down Ren wrapped her pinky around Sasuke's and led him back to her yoga mat on the floor. "Nice of you to join us," Kisame chuckled as he watched Sasuke struggle to help Ren back to the floor.

Sasuke said nothing and Ren wished the floor would have swallowed her whole. The lights dimmed and another video started before Sasuke was even completely sat down behind her.

"Ya best be counting your blessings ya actually made it. If that girl got any sadder I was gonna ring your neck," Hana hissed in warning.

Ren decided her cheeks were going to be infinitely red. Sasuke had ignored everyone's remarks but Ren couldn't do that no matter how hard she tried; her whole life had been one full of judgment so just letting that go overnight was impossible. "Thank you," she murmured to him as she cautiously leaned back against him.

The longer she sat still, the more the babies inside her kicked and moved; Sasuke had begun tracing featherlight circles around her abdomen. It tickled slightly but it was also the sweetest thing ever. How could he hate her so much but still be so supportive when it came to the twins? It had been like this from the moment Itachi died. These two tiny lives seemed to be the only thing they could set aside their hostilities for.

Ren was actually depressed when the class ended and Sasuke had helped her to her feet; they were going to go back to being enemies the moment they walked out that door. The videos had been boring but she now knew what she was going to experience and how labor was going to progress. She had also really enjoyed Sasuke being affectionate towards her baby bump. She felt cold as soon as he put distance between them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha," the instructor called to them as they started to leave, "Could I talk to the two of you for a moment?"

"Sounds like someone's in trouble," Kisame teased.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Hana chuckled as she kissed Ren's cheek.

"See you tomorrow," Ren murmured with a small wave. It was silly but Ren had actually wanted to leave with them. She didn't like the idea of having to be stuck in the car with Sasuke; it meant they would either argue or there would be silence.

"Forgive me for asking," the woman began as soon as they were the only two left, "How old are the two of you? I can't help but notice how young you two seem to be."

"We're seventeen," Ren murmured before Sasuke could say something rude.

"I thought so," the woman responded with a small smile. "We don't get many teenagers in here even though teen pregnancy is more common than people let on. It's nice to see the two of you sticking together and preparing for your little ones."

"Thank you," Ren responded weakly.

"You're having twins?"

"Yes," Sasuke sighed; Ren could tell he was getting agitated.

"I have some booklets that may help you two," she told them as she began rummaging through the filing cabinet in the corner of the room.

"Thank you," Ren murmured again.

"Will you two be back for next week's class," the instructor questioned as she handed the papers to Sasuke.

"Unless she pops before then," Sasuke told her as a joke.

"How far along are you," she asked in horror.

"I'm thirty-three weeks along. I waited too long to start classes, I know," Ren defended.

"She's been working hard to finish her classes before they get here," Sasuke explained when he noticed Ren's distress.

The woman nodded and began rummaging around for more paperwork. "This should cover the rest of it. I suggest the two of you take an evening, maybe over winter break, and pull these videos up on a computer. These websites are filled with a lot of great information. If you're still pregnant, I expect to see both of you _on time_ next week."

Her smile sent a chill down Ren's spine and she nodded dumbly; she was afraid the instructor would send her to the pits of hell if she didn't show up. Sasuke hadn't seemed fazed as he put the paperwork in his messenger bag; he must have come straight from school.

"See you next week," Ren told her with a forced smile as Sasuke led her from the classroom. "Where were you," she asked the moment they were in his RAV4. "I mean, school obviously but you were supposed to be here."

"I made it," he growled at her as he buckled. "I got held up. It's not like you reminded me it was today."

Ren's bottom lip trembled and she quickly looked away from Sasuke. "I didn't think I had to remind you," she murmured as she fought back tears. Nothing in her life was going the way she had planned and he wasn't making anything any easier in their private lives. He was caring and attentive when they were around other people but the truth was, that was just an act, right?

"I've been busy," he stated flatly, "I can't keep track of everything, especially when you don't actually tell me stuff. I've been relying on the calendar in the kitchen to know when any appointments even are."

Ren's lips parted and she turned to protest but she couldn't; he wasn't lying. "Thank you for coming," Ren grumbled as she stared out the window. What was she even supposed to say to him? Hideki had told her anger was his way of dealing with hurt but she didn't know how to get around that anger.

"So why do we need this," Sasuke asked when they were halfway home.

"Because labor is scary? Did you not see all that stuff? Some of those ladies were screaming in pain, Sasuke," Ren whimpered, "It's supposed to teach ways to cope with that pain."

"I don't think it's actually that bad," Sasuke deadpanned, "They were probably just drama queens."

"You have a dick. You wouldn't know. You get all the fun of making babies but I have to deliver them," she growled.

"I didn't get the fun of making those two," Sasuke grumbled as he turned the car onto their street.

"I didn't mean it like that," she sighed. This was not going well. "All we ever do is fight," Ren murmured lowly as she pressed her palm against her forehead.

"I know," he stated.

Ren quietly asked, "Why?"

"Because I'm angry at you all the time," he told her. "I don't know what else to say to you about it."

Ren frowned as she stared at him with her eyes narrowed. "I hope we can pretend we don't hate each other for the next eighteen years," she grumbled under her breath. Truthfully Ren didn't hate Sasuke at all. He was infuriating but he made her think about things from a different angle. She wished she knew how to express what she felt; the words just refused to come to the surface.

The moment Sasuke unlocked the car doors, Ren was unbuckling and getting out. She didn't want to be around Sasuke even a minute more. When she stormed into the house TenTen stared at her wide-eyed. "He's infuriating," she groaned her explanation before walking towards her bedroom.

"I take it birthing class went great," TenTen sighed as she followed Ren. "What did he do this time?"

"He was late and then he had the nerve to ask why we even needed the classes. And then he said it doesn't hurt as much as the videos made it seem," Ren ranted as she sat down on her bed. There were baby clothes, toys, blankets, and basic care items set up around the room but two things were missing. "I still need him to take me to pick up the cribs."

"And the changing table," TenTen added with a sigh, "and everything else mom had you put on your registry."

"I may just ask Naruto," she groaned as she laid back on her bed.

"I thought Naruto was in Konoha with Jiraiya for winter break," TenTen reminded her.

"He is," a heavy sigh escaped her lips, "I am ready to throw in the towel. I don't think I can do this."

TenTen frowned as she sat beside Ren with her legs crossed. "You can do it. You just need to patch things up with Sasuke soon. I don't really know what happened between the two of you but they need the two of you to be able to work together."

"Who decided Sasuke would be acting as their father anyway," Ren asked in exasperation.

"Itachi did," TenTen told her with her brows furrowed. "Did you not read the agreement you signed before he went to the hospital?"

Ren blinked before she sprung off her bed and began shuffling through paperwork. "I thought it was just stuff like 'X amount put back for child college fund' and 'X amount towards charity every year'. I didn't read through it that closely," Ren whimpered as she began searching through the files. "Did Otousan read this?"

"Yeah, he told you to read it too. He wasn't going to tell you no if you agreed to the terms," TenTen told her with her brows furrowed.

"That's why Sasuke had to sign stuff too, isn't it," Ren asked as panic began to make her hands tremble. With the paperwork on her desk, she began scanning through it, trying to find the section that TenTen was referring to. "In the event of Itachi Uchiha's death, all responsibilities related to fatherhood and marriage will be carried out by Sasuke Uchiha. Any children coming from the marriage of Itachi Uchiha and Ren Hyuga-Hyogo will be adopted by Sasuke Uchiha as quickly as possible after Itachi's death," Ren read aloud, "Why would he do that?!"

"To make sure you're not alone? Hell if I know. You, Sasuke, and dad signed it. Itachi covered everything he could think up," TenTen shrugged.

"So," Ren swallowed hard, "essentially, Sasuke's already my husband."

"I guess? I mean he's supposed to fill that role but it doesn't say that the two of you have to be married."

"Why would Sasuke agree to this? He's got his whole life ahead of him," Ren stated in exasperation. "He's still got college, soccer, and whatever career he decides on."

"You still have a life to live too," TenTen reminded her. "I'm sure Sasuke and Itachi talked things through. You signed it."

Ren pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I guess I need to try to find a loophole."

"Or you could just make up with him," TenTen suggested, "talk it out?"

"I guess," Ren grumbled as she began reading through the document she had signed. "I want to know what else I've gotten myself into."

"Good luck," TenTen chuckled as she climbed off Ren's bed, "I'll be in the living room if you need me."

"Thanks," Ren said but she wasn't really paying attention. Instead, she was reading every minute detail Itachi had put into their marriage agreement. There were many things she had missed when skimming through it. With her lip between her teeth she sunk down in her desk chair; she had a lot of reading to do.


	56. Apology

Exhaustion had consumed Ren as she sat in the living room reading through the booklets the instructor had given her. Ren felt like her eyes were going to pop out of her head from all of the reading she had been doing. No matter how hard she tried to focus on the words in front of her, her mind kept going back to all the things she had unknowingly agreed to when she married Itachi.

He had thought everything through from daycare to college to Ren remarrying. Everything involving any children Itachi had fell on Sasuke. Ren was to use most of the money as she saw fit but a large sum had been set aside for the baby. She had already gone down to the bank and doubled the amount in the fund but there was so much more to it. Itachi had planned how much money she would use for college, a budget for a house, medical expenses, business start-up, and even how much money could be allocated to charities.

Sasuke's inheritance wasn't disclosed in the documents she signed but she knew it wouldn't be a stretch to assume Sasuke's agreement was similar to her own. Ren had decided that she was done expecting anything from life; clearly, things weren't going to go as planned and she was getting tired of being thrown for a loop.

Winter break had started with a bang, Ren could definitely say that much. TenTen had left to go ice skating with Kankuro. Suigetsu was taking one of his way-too-long baths in preparation for his date with Karin. Jia, Hideki, and Konohamaru were already on a flight to the tropics. For the most part, she felt like it was just going to be her and Sasuke home. That idea excited and frightened her at the same time.

The doorbell rang and Ren shot to her feet; Hana and Kisame were supposed to be coming over for lunch. "Hey guys," Ren called to them as she opened the door. "Come on in." Saliva began to pool in Ren's mouth as the scent of hot french fries hit her nostrils. "You guys brought salt," she swooned as they placed the bags on the coffee table.

"And ice cream sundaes," Hana told her with a grin.

"You two are so weird," Kisame chuckled as he began dishing out burgers, fries, and to-go cups filled to the brim with hot fudge and ice cream. "Where's everyone else," he asked before Ren could even take a bite of her hamburger.

Ren's stomach growled and she grumbled, "Everyone else is gone except Suigetsu and Sasuke. Suigetsu is getting ready for his date and Sasuke is asleep in his room."

"Actually," Suigetsu chuckled as he came into the room, "Suigetsu is leaving for his date." He grabbed one of the hamburgers on his way to his jacket; Ren wanted to bite his fingers off when he came back for a second burger. "I'll see you guys later!"

"Isn't he taking her out for lunch," Hana grumbled with her mouth full of fries and ice cream.

"He's a bottomless pit," Ren groaned before taking a bite of her burger.

"I'll see if Sasuke is willing to join the land of the living for food," Kisame chuckled as stepped towards the hallway.

"I hope you're wearing protective headgear," Ren grumbled as she took another bite. "This is so good."

"I know," Hana gushed, "I'm starving."

"Me too," Ren admitted. She wasn't the most ladylike when it came to eating in front of Hana and Kisame; it was nice to not have to hold onto her appearances.

"So what'd the old bat want yesterday," Hana asked with a chuckle.

Ren had to swallow before she could respond. "She gave us a whole bunch of booklets and websites to go to. I was expecting more of a lecture about how long we waited before taking classes."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't thinking about the fact you'll deliver a month before me," Hana told her gently.

"I should've been going already," Ren shrugged, "It's fine. I'm reading through it."

"Guess this means you'll be able to help me out more than Kisame when it's all said and done," the curvaceous woman chuckled.

"Actually," Ren murmured, "That reminds me. Itachi elected for you and Kisame to be their godparents. I was going to ask you guys anyway but it seems he already had that covered."

"Yeah, he was thorough about everything," Hana chuckled. "Ah, there's the sleeping beauty! It's almost one in the afternoon, Sasuke."

Sasuke groaned as he flopped down on the couch beside Ren and pressed his palm against his forehead. "I had a late night," he grumbled.

"Doing what," Kisame asked as he tossed one of the burgers to Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't miss a beat as he caught the burger and unwrapped it. "I was reading through the paperwork Itachi had me sign again. TenTen said Ren was so I figured I should too."

"Oh? And what did you find," Hana asked with a mischievous smirk.

"That we are going to be in each other's lives permanently," he shrugged, "it's not a new thing. I did read it before I signed it."

Ren's cheeks turned scarlet as she dunked one of her fries in her sundae; she felt so stupid for not reading through things. Ren chewed on the ice cream coated potato slowly. She would've signed them even if she had read them; Itachi didn't have time to argue points with her and he was so set to take care of her.

"If ya know that then maybe you should get your shit together," Hana growled. "Why the hell were ya late yesterday? Soccer more important?"

"It's not like that," Sasuke bit back at her, "I didn't realize it was yesterday."

Ren's eyes met Kisame's in horror; he was trying to tell her to stay out of it without actually saying it. Hana was one to say what she wanted to regardless of the consequences; there was no stopping her once she was on one of her rants.

"It's right there on the damn calendar," Hana hissed as she pointed to the kitchen doorway. "Ya keep this ruse goin that you're married to Ren and those are your babies but you don't act like it, do ya? Ya go about your life, however, ya want until it's time for the next act!"

"Hana," Kisame warned lowly; his face reflected how hopeless he knew his interruption was.

"Ya don't get to pick and choose when you're involved," She growled out, "Ya are involved all the time. Ya should know every time those babies move. Every time Ren has to do somethin you should be right there helpin her!"

Sasuke grumbled under his breath but didn't say anything to Hana; his face was blank and unreadable.

"Hana, please," Ren begged before her friend could continue her rant. "I'm at fault too. I'm the one who doesn't tell him things."

"Don't I fucking know it," she barked, "Y'all need to work this shit out. Those babies are gonna be here any time and Y'all can't even sit in the same room together for more than an hour. Either they're yours or they ain't," Hana turned her attention back to Sasuke. "It ain't a 'when it's convenient for you' thing. These are two lives you're messin with."

"Alright," Sasuke growled out, "I get it."

"I don't think ya do," Hana sighed. "Neither one of ya have a clue. You're just kids. Kids having kids. Itachi needed to think about that fact and clearly didn't."

Ren swallowed hard as she stared at Hana through watery eyes; she couldn't deny anything Hana had said but it hurt more than it should have. "I'm sorry to disappoint you," Ren choked out as she stood up; she left the room quickly but not so quickly that she didn't bring her food with her to her bedroom.

The longer she sat at her desk the more she wished she had shut the door; Ren could hear Hana and Kisame talking to Sasuke about how to remedy their problems. Ren wasn't even sure when everyone decided they were a team. With her lip between her teeth, she stared at the paperwork for her marriage to Itachi. Rage bubbled inside of her and she threw the papers off her desk. Did he love her at all? If he did why had he decided her entire future for her?

A sob raked through Ren's chest as she pressed her hand over her mouth to stifle it. She knew Itachi had meant well and that he was just doing what he felt was right but he had possibly ruined Sasuke's life; he didn't deserve to be stuck with her for all of their lives. Sasuke deserved to live his own life as he saw fit.

The more Ren thought about Sasuke's words during their last big fight, the more she wished Sasuke was free of her.

 _"No," he grumbled, "It's because I'm Itachi's brother."_

Why couldn't he see that how she felt had nothing to do with Itachi. Ren hadn't known that Sasuke was obligated by contract to act in Itachi's place. The lump in her throat was making it hard to breathe. Perhaps Sasuke had only acted the way he was because of that contract. With her brows furrowed Ren got up from her desk chair and climbed into bed. He wasn't really trying to be with her at all, it was just an obligation. That explained why he was so quick to stop trying.

Love wasn't in the cards for her, she decided at that moment. There wasn't a damn thing good that had ever come from it anyway. Shikamaru had moved on from her like it was nothing. Naruto hadn't seen her as more than a friend; Sai hadn't either for that matter. Deidara had been a lie just like Sasuke.

Itachi had been her everything and now he was gone. Ren had known he was gone but she hadn't allowed herself much time to think about it. She didn't know if he had truly loved her or saw her as a means to get to Sasuke; the idea hurt more than Naruto talking about Ino or Sai telling her about the girl named Ko he had met.

Ren felt completely used as she laid there crying silently to herself; for the first time in her life, she understood why her mother had never moved on from her father. Hideki had been the only man she ever loved; after he left her mother's heart was probably as destroyed as Ren's felt.

Even with that knowledge, Ren couldn't be mad at her father, he had left because he had to before he knew Naoma was pregnant. Naoma always told Ren that her grandpa had chased Hideki away. Ren knew now, as an adult, that the Hyuga Clan had no problems with running people off; Neji was still interning in the corporation but he wouldn't have a job waiting for him.

Ren's heart hurt so badly the more she thought about all the lives she felt she had cursed; Ren was a bad luck charm that brought nothing but sorrow. If she weren't in Nagisa everything would have turned out better for the Hyogo family. Neji may still have had his job. Shikamaru would've still been around.

Her bed shifted as someone sat beside her; Ren had her head covered so she couldn't see who. The movement made her hold her breath to hide that she had been crying. "Go away," she mumbled flatly before rubbing her face against her pillow.

"I won't do that and you know it," Sasuke sighed as he pulled the blanket from over her head.

"What do you want now," she whimpered without meeting his gaze.

"I'm sorry," he told her gently.

Ren's eyes were wide as she stared at him. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me. I'm not going to repeat it," he stated.

"Why are you sorry," she asked slowly as she sat up in bed. The idea of Sasuke Uchiha apologizing to her of all people was unbelievable; it left her feeling breathless.

"I've been taking my frustration out on you," he grumbled, "Look, I'm pissed Itachi's dead. He should've come around the second he knew where I was. You should've told me when you knew where he was."

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she stared down at her swollen baby bump. "I thought it was best to go along with his wishes. He wanted to show up in your life at the right time. I wasn't going to ruin his plans."

"You loved him, didn't you?"

"I did," Ren nodded as she tucked her hair behind her ears, "but I also think I was a tool to be used to get to you. I don't doubt his feelings for me but I don't think he was with me just because of that. Sasuke, he loved you far more than he could ever have loved me and I'm okay with that. I'm okay that he used me to get to you. I'm okay with him accidentally getting me pregnant. I'm not okay with you having to be tied to me.

"You have so many possibilities in front of you. You can be whatever you want to be. Travel the world or move away. The choice is yours. You don't have to stick with me because I'm pregnant. I don't want you giving up your life because of me."

Sasuke placed his hand on her cheek to wipe her tears with his thumb. "I wouldn't have signed the papers if I didn't want to follow its terms. Look, I'm being selfish. This is the path I choose. I'm sticking by those kids and taking care of them. He may have created them but they are _mine_. You are _mine_. We are going to have the future we choose."

Ren swallowed hard as she returned his piercing gaze with confusion. "Sasuke, I know you aren't Itachi and I don't want you to be. I want you to be who you are and do what you want to with your life. You don't have to be tied to me Sasuke. I want you to fall in love and be happy."

Sasuke leaned his forehead against hers and sighed; his breath brushed against her moist cheek sending a shiver down her spine. "You idiot," he groaned.

"Sasuke," she begged as she stared at his face; his eyes were closed and he seemed so at peace that she couldn't figure out what was going on in his head. "Be free of me. Don't let me bring you down."

"You aren't bringing me down," he grumbled before his eyes opened.

Ren's thistle white orbs peered into the endless ebony abyss and her breath halted in her throat. Ren didn't see Itachi when she looked at him, she hadn't for months, but the words refused to leave her lips. She hated how captivating one second of eye contact with him was and the way her heart raced in betrayal. Ren hated herself more when she shifted her body forward to press her lips softly against his.

The clock on the wall ticked loudly with each passing second. After about five seconds, Ren realized he wasn't going to kiss her back. She pulled away and kept her eyes on the bed between them. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Is it because I'm me or because I'm Itachi's brother," Sasuke asked; his voice sounded strained.

"It's true that you are Itachi's brother," she murmured, "but you're more than that. You're my pain in the butt stand-in-baby-daddy, my soccer teammate, my partner, and one of the most infuriating men I know."

"I'm trying to figure out what any of that has to do with you kissing me," he told her with his brows furrowed.

"B-because I love you as all of those things," she admitted with her cheeks blazing. "I love you as you. Every element of you. Even the annoying parts."

"You're more annoying than I am," he murmured as he placed his hand on her back and pulled her closer to him.

"Th-then why are you so determined to stick around," she asked with half-lidded eyes and her brows furrowed; her heart was beating so loudly in her chest that she was afraid she wouldn't hear him speak over the sound.

"Because even though you're annoying, you push me to be a better person. I love that you fight me and that you look at me like that.. When did I stop looking at you as my sister," he asked breathlessly.

Ren shook her head slightly as she let him lead her face towards his. "Probably long before I started thinking about you romantically."

He groaned and pressed a featherlight kiss on her lips. "You think about me romantically," he teased. She was blushing bright red as she nodded. "So scandalous of you, Ms. Hyuga. You love your step-brother. What should I do with that information?"

"Knowing you, you'll hold it over my head until-" He cut her words off with another kiss but this one was deeper, more passionate. Briefly, Ren wondered if this was just to shut her up. The thought had only lasted a second; her attention was quickly grabbed by him pulling her onto his lap. Heat pooled between Ren's thighs and it took everything in her not to let her arousal overthrow her brain. "S-Sasuke, I don't want to rush it," she begged as he nuzzled his nose against her neck.

"Who said anything about rushing," he murmured as he began planting soft kisses from her jawline to her collarbone.

"I mean," she moaned out, "I mean I don't want to ruin things with you by having sex with you." The last three words had been squeaked out but her distress had registered to him.

"Ruin it," he asked as he stared up at her.

"B-by doing it too soon," she groaned in frustration.

"You realize you've lived here for nearly a year, right? I've lived with you for almost a year. I mean, it's fine but don't lump me in with every other guy you've dated," he sighed.

"I," Ren shook her head as she lowered her hips to his. "Please don't break my heart," she begged.

"I will argue with you about anything and everything but your heart is safe," he promised as he brushed his thumbs against the sides of her breasts. "Your boobs have grown," he murmured before he claimed her lips with is.


	57. Epilogue

As Ren stared at the large lotus-shaped building in front of her, a proud grin formed on her lips. Solar panels were visible from every 'petal', waterworks and gardens littered the ground around it, and several people were making their way across the 'bridge' to begin their workday. She had seen this building every day for the last two years but it never once failed to captivate her. It stood for life and change for the better; it was exactly as she had dreamed it would be.

TenTen stood behind her with her hands on her hips. "We get that you're proud but do you have to stop in this exact same place every morning," she teased. TenTen's pregnant belly was just beginning to show; the scrub top she wore was stretched slightly around her abdomen.

Ren turned to stare at her sister with a blush forming on her cheeks. "It still doesn't feel real," she explained.

"Yeah, well, it is," Neji chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and began leading her across the bridge. "We did it."

"Yeah we did," TenTen chuckled as she looped her arm through Ren's. Pride radiated off the trio like rays of the sun.

With a deep breath, Ren freed herself from the grasp of her cousin and sister. "I'll catch up with you guys shortly." She didn't want to let pride get the better of her today. She had a lot to think about.

"Alright but don't be late. We have a meeting with the potential investors in an hour," Neji reminded her as he stared at his watch, "you should probably make sure your presentation is flawless."

"He's kidding," TenTen chuckled, "We both know they always are."

Ren waved to the two of them as they walked into the main lobby but her eyes didn't stay on the two of them long. With a frown, she glanced at her own watch. "You're late," she grumbled as she turned her attention back to the bridge. Her eyes met ebony orbs and she fought to keep from grinning. "Punctuality is important, Mr. Uchiha."

"I had a lot to do this morning, Mrs. Uchiha. My wife kept me up half the night then failed to wake me up before she left," he chuckled.

"Aysha had to be at school early," Ren shrugged as she slipped her arm through his. "You did get Keiko dropped off, right?"

"Ah," he groaned, "I knew I forgot something."

"Sasuke!"

"I'm kidding. I even remembered to put her uniform in her backpack since someone failed to get it from the dryer," he chuckled.

"You're awful," Ren grumbled as the two of them made their way into the building.

"You love me anyway," he reminded her.

"You're lucky that I do," she bit back.

"Uchiha-sama, a moment please," a woman named Ko requested when they got on the elevator with her.

"What is it Sato-san," Ren asked with a calm smile. This was the woman that Sai had married; the idea of being with anyone but Sasuke had left her mind years ago so they were on good terms.

"Project Seven-Oh-Two is coming along nicely, we hope to be able to begin clinical trials within the next three months," Ko told them excitedly.

Ren's eyes met Sasuke's and the two of them exchanged a look of relief. "I'm actually meeting with possible investors about that project," Ren commented, "Could you please send your reports and the statistics to my office?"

"Right away, Uchiha-sama," Ko told her with a grin. "This is my stop. I'll have them on your desk within the half hour!"

"Thank you so much," Ren told her with a bright smile as the doors closed.

"That's the experimental drug to increase white blood cell counts and combat Hemophilia, right," Sasuke asked.

"That's the one. If it's successful no one will be denied a life-saving operation because they have a blood clotting disorder," Ren told him with a nod.

"You aren't going to let this make you depressed again, are you? You didn't have the capability to save Itachi but there are other people you will save," Sasuke reminded her gently.

"I'm more worried about Aysha and Keiko at this point," Ren murmured. She could admit that the setbacks had caused her spells of sadness but she put a lot of faith in her teams. Between it and the other projects, she was stretched too thin to be depressed.

"They're perfectly healthy."

"They won't be forever. They're growing up," Ren murmured.

"They're going to be fine," he promised.

"They're turning ten," Ren sighed, "Where did the time go?"

"I think most of it was spent studying and chasing after the two of them," Sasuke grumbled with a frown, "I rather enjoy being able to sleep now."

Ren hummed and tilted her head to the side. "You got more sleep than I did. Otousan and Okaasan were there. We got through it."

"Barely," Sasuke sighed, "If I recall right, you struggled a lot. I honestly thought you were going to have to retake your first year at Uni."

Ren pouted as she stared up at her husband. "I'd do it all over again."

"Well, thankfully now we are established and not planning to do it all over again for a while," Sasuke chuckled. "I _really_ enjoy sleeping at night." Ren stared up at him with her eyes unfocused. "I'll see you at lunch," he promised before giving her a quick kiss then a quick glare was directed up at the security camera.

Ren's cheeks were bright red until the doors opened to her office floor. "Good morning, Okaasan," Ren greeted Jia.

"Good morning, honey," Jia grinned at her. "Your dad is waiting for you in your office. He wants to give you a pep talk before your meeting with the Senju Corporation's advisors."

"Alright," Ren laughed, "Kami knows I'm going to need it. There's a lot of pressure on this one."

"You've got this. You've gone through bullying, teen pregnancy, and college as a mother. There is nothing the Senju can throw at you that you can't handle, honey," Jia told her with a beaming smile.

"Thanks, Mom," Ren laughed as she kissed her cheek. "What do I need a pep talk from Dad for?"

"Because your father has dealt with the Senju longer than you've been alive," Hideki commented from the doorway of her office. "You can show no weaknesses," he began as he led her into the office.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

The back garden of Ren's home was filled with playground equipment and toys as she sat on the back deck staring out into it. She and Sasuke had found the beautiful country home less than a year ago but they had already made it their own. The way their life came together was completely out of order but it had got there.

"Alright," Hana chuckled as she sat down next to Ren, "You're sure you can handle the girls for the weekend? We're leaving after your celebration dinner. I'd hate to leave ya with more than ya can handle."

Ren's eyes drifted to her dear friend and a small smile formed on her lips. "You haven't had a night without kids since your honeymoon," she reminded Hana gently, "I can handle six kids."

"Ya think that but you've never had to handle more than your two," Hana stated.

"It'll be fine," Ren reassured her with a confident nod. "Worst case scenario is I see if Sai and Ko can come lend a hand."

Hana chuckled and shook her head. "Together they make 'SaiKo'," she laughed, "I can't believe they didn't think about that."

"You're the only one who did," Ren giggled, "Now every time I see them I think it too! You've ruined me!"

"Someone had to say it," Hana smirked. "I know you can handle it but this is the first time I've been away from them in a long while. Remember how well it went when you watched Miko while we were on our honeymoon?"

"Miko cried for an hour, kept throwing up on me, and wouldn't sleep no matter what I tried. Sasuke ended up putting earplugs in and I stayed up all night that first night. The second day was better though. I miss those days," Ren sighed.

"Getting baby fever, are we," Hana teased.

"Maybe," Ren frowned, "Sasuke's not interested in expanding our family yet. He keeps coming up with reasons to wait. Uchiha Pharmaceuticals is up and running like a well-oiled machine now. Most the time I feel like I'm just kind of the face of it. Everyone is really happy with the work they're doing and I'm starting to relax finally. I think we're going to be just fine. With the Senju Corporation backing us we can all breathe a little easier."

"What happened to the Hyuga Corp funding Y'all," Hana asked with her brows furrowed, "I knew it stressed ya out but didn't bother ya for details."

"They backed out during the transition from Hiashi to Hanabi. Apparently, things had taken a turn for the worse and they could no longer afford the risk. Hinata actually starts working for us as a resource manager next month. I think the fact that I have Hinata and Neji behind me rubbed them the wrong way," Ren admitted.

"Doesn't help that Hinata married Shikamaru either, I'm sure," Hana grumbled.

"Yeah, no kidding. Hiashi-ojisama blames me for that too. I didn't have any part of it," Ren groaned, "I'm glad Hina-chan seems happy, though. They both do."

"They're expecting their second right," Hana asked as she watched her four daughters play in the treehouse with Keiko and Aysha.

"They're actually having twins. So it'll be baby two and baby three for them. Ko just got back from maternity leave and Sai is still on paternity leave. Naruto and Ino have a son now. Ironically Naruto decided to name him Boruto. I think Jiraiya-san had something to do with that," Ren chuckled. "I think Neji is the only one who hasn't started his family yet."

"He should've snagged TenTen when he had the chance," Hana shrugged, "That girl makes beautiful babies."

"I agree. I was actually kind of worried they would look like Kankuro," Ren admitted with a light laugh. "I guess, maybe I do have baby fever. I miss it, y'know? I was so stressed with taking care of Aysha and Keiko, plus going to school, plus trying to start the business, and searching for backers. I feel like I didn't get to enjoy them being so small."

"Sasuke thinks you're crazy for it, doesn't he," Hana chuckled.

"Completely out of my mind," Ren groaned. "I understand where he's coming from but my body has my mind in 'make a baby' mode all the time."

"I did not need to hear that," Kisame chuckled as he joined them on the deck. "You're more than welcome to one of ours. Lighten the load a little." Hana punched Kisame in the abdomen but he didn't even flinch. "You know I'm kidding," he laughed as he sat down.

"I should probably go pull dinner out of the oven," Ren sighed, "Guests should be here soon."

"I'll give you a hand," Hana told her as she stood up.

"Hey," Kisame growled, "You're leaving me to watch the kids."

"Just make sure they don't fight or eat dirt," Ren muttered.

"We'd hate to ruin their appetite," Hana added with a giggle; Ren stared at her in horror. "What? Builds up the immune system."

Ren shook her head and lead Hana into the house. "I don't even know what to say to you right now," she grumbled.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

With a content sigh, Ren quietly closed their bedroom door and her eyes focused on Sasuke. "They're all asleep," she murmured triumphantly as she began taking her blouse off. "We could handle another one," Ren whispered more to herself than Sasuke.

"Ren," Sasuke groaned in warning as he watched her slip into her nightgown.

"What," she frowned as she began braiding her hair.

"Can't we wait until they're out of high school," he grumbled.

Ren frowned as she climbed onto her side of the bed. She knew she was starting to sound like a broken record but he was too. "Sasuke," she whined, "We're approaching thirty."

"Your point?"

"Everyone else our age has at least two kids," she pouted.

"We have to kids," he told her with his brows furrowed. "And Neji doesn't have any."

"Neji's a slow burner," Ren grumbled, "He'll marry Takara and have all kinds of babies within the next fifteen years, I know it."

"Ren," Sasuke growled as she began kissing his neck. "You know that isn't going to work."

"I know," Ren pouted against his smooth skin. "I just keep hoping it will. Sasuke why do you really not want a baby?"

"The idea is terrifying," he grunted as he guided her to look up at him. "There are so many ways this could go wrong. Remember all the pain you were in? Twenty hours of labor and they still had to cut them out of you. You could have died."

"Sasuke," Ren deflated as she placed her hand over his. "It wasn't perfect but I'd do it over and over again. I'm not going to die on you. I wasn't even close to dying on you. It happens sometimes. The three of us came out of it just fine. I just want a little us. This little physical being created from love. I want to be a mom again. I want to have babies with you and create our own little soccer team."

"You're insane," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers. With his eyes closed, he sighed heavily. "It would make you happy?"

Ren nodded slowly. "Wouldn't it make you happy?"

"It's terrifying being responsible for two kids," he told her gently as he began tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. "I don't hate kids, though," he murmured. "If I agree, do you promise not to go all crazy? No calling me up to your office for a quickie because you're ovulating. I am not some tool to use."

"Sasuke," Ren laughed lightly as she kissed him over and over happily. "I'm already pregnant," she whispered as she kissed her way towards his ear.

His breath hitched in his throat and he pinned her to the bed beneath him. "Really?" She nodded. "Then why all the begging?"

"Because I want you to want it too," Ren whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You idiot," he groaned before kissing her breathless. "How long have you know," he asked quickly.

"Since this morning," she admitted as she playfully bit his lip.

"That's why you didn't have champagne with everyone else at the office," he stated as realization dawned on him. "You should have told me this morning."

"I would have missed out on you accusing me of using you as a tool. I'd call you up to my office for a quickie?" Ren was giggling as she stared up at her husband. "There is nothing quick about you."

"Don't you forget it," he smirked as his lips captured hers.

* * *

 **Ren Note:** That's it, guys. I'm so happy and sad all at the same time! I kid you not I was walking around with a stupid grin for three hours after I wrote this! I hope I touched base on any/all questions anyone had. It's been a long road. Until the next one, my loves!


End file.
